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THE  SACRED  BOOKS  AND 
EARLY  LITERATURE  OF 

THE  EAST 


WITH   HISTORICAL  SURVEYS   OF  THE  CHIEF 
WRITINGS  OF   EACH   NATION 

Translations,   Bibliographies,  etc. ,  by  the  following 
Leading  Orientalists: 

IN   AMERICA: 

MORRIS  JASTROW.LL.D.,  Professor  of  Semitic  Languages,  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania; JAMES  H.  BREASTED,  LL.D.,  Professor  of  Egyptology,  University  of 
Chicago;  CHARLES  C.  TORREY,  D.D.,  Professor  of  Semitic  Languages ,  Yale 
University;  A.  V.  W.  JACKSON,  LL.D.,  Professor  of  I ndo- Iranian,  Columbia  Uni- 
versity; CHARLES  R.  LANM AN,  LL.D.,  Professor  of  Sanskrit,  Harvard  University; 
Rev.  CHARLES  F.  AIKEN,  S.T.D.,  Dean  of  the  Faculty  of  Theology,  Catholic 
University;  FRIEDRICH  HIRTH,  LL.D.,  Professor  of  Chinese,  Columbia  Uni- 
versity; Rev.  WILLIAM  E.  GRIFFIS,  D.D.,  former  Professor  at  the  Imperial 
University,  Tokio. 

IN   EUROPE: 

E.  A.  W.  BUDGE,  F.S.A.,  Director  of  Egyptology  in  the  British  Museum;  Sir 
GASTON  MASPERO,  D.C.L.,  Member  of  the  Royal  Institute  of  France;  Rev.  A.  H. 
SAYCE,  LL.D.,  Professor  of  Comparative  Philology,  Oxford  University;  W. 
FLINDERS-PETRIE,  LL.D.,  Professor  of  Egyptology,  Uniyersity  College,  London; 
STEPHEN  LANGDON,  Ph.D.,  Professor  of  Assyriology,  Oxford  University;  Sir 
.ERNEST  SATOW,  LL.D.,  G.C.M.G. ,  British  Minister  to  Japan ;  H.  OLDENBERG, 
LL.D.,  Professor  of  Sanskrit,  Kiel  University;  T.  VV.  RHYS-DAVIDS,  LL.D., 
Librarian  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society;  ARMINIUS  VAMBfiRY,  LL.D.,  Professor 
of  Oriental  Languages,  University  of  Budapest. 

IN   ASIA: 

Sir  M.  COOMARA  SWAMY,  Legislative  Council  of  Ceylon;  ROMESH  CHUNDER 
DUTT.  C.I.E.,  Author  of  the  History  of  Civilization  in  Ancient  India;  DARAB 
D.  P.  SANJANA,  Educational  Society  of  Bombay;  Viscount  KENCHO  SUYE- 
MATSU  LL.M.,  Japanese  Minister  of  the  Interior;  SHEIK  FAIZ-ULLAH-BHAI, 
Head  Master  of  the  Schools  of  Anjuman-i-Islam;  RALPH  T.  GRIFFITH,  President 
Benares  College,  India;  JIVANJI  JAMSHEDJI  MODI,  FeUow  of  Bombay  Uni- 
versity, OflScier  de  I'Academie  Frangaise. 

Under  the  editorship  of  a  staff  of  specialists  directed  hy 
Phof.  CHARLES  F.  HORNE,  Ph.D. 


PARKE,    AUSTIN,    AND   LIPSCOMB,    Inc. 
NEW  YORK  LONDON 


Copyright,  1917, 
Parke,  Austin,  and  Lipscomb,  Inc. 


inrrtKltTrooT.     &  rSDMWOOD,  X  T 


THE   PRESENT  AND   THE   PAST 

An  ancient  Babylonian  coffin  just  excavated,  and  a  child  of  the 

region  today. 


THE  SACRED  BOOKS  AND  EARLY 
LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST 


VOLUME  I 

BABYLONIA  AND  ASSYRIA 


In  Translations  by 

Morris  Jastrow,  Jr.,  LL.D.,  Librarian  and  Professor  of  Semitic 
Languages  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania;  Rev.  A.  H.  Sayce, 
LL.D.,  Professor  of  Comparative  Philology  at  Oxford  University; 
Robert  W.  Rogers,  LL.D.,  Professor  of  Hebrew  in  Drew  Theological 
Seminary;  George  A.  Barton,  LL.D.,  President  of  the  American 
Oriental  Society  and  Professor  of  Semitic  in  Bryn  Mawr  College; 
Leonard  W.  King,  F.S.A.,  Assistant  in  Assyrian  Antiquities  in  the 
British  Museum;  Stephen  Langdon,  Ph.D.,  Professor  of  Assyriology 
at  Oxford  University;  Arno  Poebel,  Ph.D.,  formerly  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Pennsylvania  Museum;   and  other  noted  Babylonian  scholars. 

With  a  Brief  Bibliography  by 
Prof.  Morris  Jastrow,  Jr.,  LL.D. 


With  an  Historical  Survey  and  Descriptions  by 

Prof.   CHARLES  F.   HORNE,  Ph.D. 


PARKE,  AUSTIN,  AND  LIPSCOMB,  Inc. 
NEW  YORK  LONDON 


" Let  there  he  light" — Genesis  I,  3. 


"  There  never  was  a  false  god,  nor  was  there  ever 
really  a  false  religion,  unless  you  call  a  child  a 
false  man.'' — Max  Muller. 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION 

THE    PURPOSE    OF    THIS    WOEK 

IIST  speaking  of  the  Sacred  Books  of  the  East,  that  great 
American  sage  and  teacher,  Emerson,  called  them  that 
"  class  of  books  which  are  the  best :  I  mean  the  Bibles  of 
the  world,  or  the  sacred  books  of  each  nation,  which  express 
for  each  the  supreme  result  of  their  experience.  .  .  .  All 
these  books  are  the  majestic  expression  of  the  universal  con- 
science. They  are  for  the  closet,  and  to  be  read  on  the  bended 
knee.  Their  communications  are  not  to  be  given  or  taken 
with  the  lips  and  the  end  of  the  tongue,  but  out  of  the  glow 
of  the  cheek,  and  with  the  throbbing  heart.  Friendship 
should  give  and  take,  solitude  and  time  brood  and  ripen, 
heroes  absorb  and  enact  them.  They  are  not  to  be  held  by 
letters  printed  on  a  page,  but  are  living  characters  trans- 
latable into  every  tongue  and  form  of  life.  We  call  them 
Asiatic,  we  call  them  primeval;  but  perhaps  that  is  only 
optical,  for  Nature  is  always  equal  to  herself,  and  there  are 
as  good  eyes  and  ears  now  in  the  planet  as  ever  were.  Only 
these  ejaculations  of  the  soul  are  uttered  one  or  a  few  at  a 
time,  at  long  intervals,  and  it  takes  millenniums  to  make  a 
Bible." 

Emerson  spoke  with  but  a  shadow  of  our  present  knowl- 
edge of  the  East.  Mighty  books  unknown  to  him  have  since 
been  recovered  by  modern  scientific  search.  Yet  the  reader 
may  well  take  Emerson's  words  as  a  hint  of  how  profoundly 
easth's  eakliest  liteeatuke,  even  when  onlv  the  barest 
fragments  of  it  were  known,  began  at  once  to  shape  the 
thought  of  our  foremost  men. 

e^vrth's  earliest  literature 

We  ask  therefore  of  the  reader  a  moment's  consideration 
of  the  sources  of  the  earliest  human  thought  and  books.     In 


vi  GENERAL  INTRODUCTION 

what  far  distant  epoch  man  first  began  to  think  for  himself, 
we  do  not  know.  Those  half-brutish  minds  of  some  long- 
forgotten  "  stone  age  "  have  left  no  trace  of  the  vague  first 
"  Why  ?  "  with  which  they  began  mankind's  eternal  strug- 
gle to  pierce  the  infinite.  Feeble  indeed  must  have  been 
these  earliest  efforts  of  men  to  reach  beyond  immediate 
physical  sensation,  to  understand  themselves  and  the  world 
around  them,  and  the  spiritual  world  which  they  felt  ex- 
panding above  them  and  beyond.  So  completely  blank  is  the 
abyss  of  ignorance  which  our  climbing  forefathers  have  left 
behind  them  that,  up  to  a  century  or  so  ago,  mankind  had 
scarcely  a  grain  of  knowledge  of  what  had  happened  in  the 
world  three  thousand  years  before. 

Back  of  the  Greek  wars  sung  by  Homer,  we  had  almost  no 
guide  to  earlier  ages  except  in  our  Scriptures,  the  Old 
Testament  account  of  the  creation,  so  brief  and  so  often  mis- 
interpreted and  misunderstood.  Beyond  this  one  mighty 
Book  of  the  past,  with  its  attention  centered  on  the  Hebrew 
race,  we  possessed  only  a  few  loose  references  in  old  Greek 
authors,  who  mentioned  Babylon  and  Egypt  as  fading  lands 
of  the  past,  in  which  the  Greeks  took  little  interest. 

The  nineteenth  century  changed  this  widely.  The  world 
of  three  thousand  years  ago  is  now  almost  as  clear  to  us  as 
yesterday's  world.  Moreover,  we  can  look  back  twice  as 
far,  six  thousand  years  perhaps,  and  know  more  of  that  dis- 
tant date  than  our  fathers  knew  of  Homer's  time.  Even  be- 
yond six  thousand  years  we  have  now  well-defined  glimpses 
of  an  earlier  age,  of  races  at  least  semi-civilized  in  an  an- 
tiquity for  which  we  have  no  measuring  terms  of  years. 

THE,   RECENT    REDISCOVEKY    OF    THE    PAST 

Whence  has  come  this  tremendous  unfolding  of  the 
leaves  of  the  past  ?  It  is  one  of  the  chief  triumphs  ever 
gained  by  human  intellect.  With  wonderful  patience  and 
ability,  our  scientists  have  sought  and  compared  and  studied 
over  all  the  scattered  fragments  of  antiquity  which  they  have 
found  througliout  Asia  and  North  Africa.  Not  only  Eg^'pt 
and  Babylonia,  but  India,  China,  Persia,  and  a  score  of 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION  vii 

other  regious  have  contributed,  sometimes  a  few  words,  some- 
times whole  wonderful  mysterious  literatures,  to  enlarge 
our  knowledge  of  man's  older  days  and  older  thoughts. 
We  may  have  little  cause  to  boast  of  any  higher  wisdom  than 
our  fathers,  or  any  deeper  spiritual  insight,  but  we  have  at 
least  established  a  far  broader  base  of  knowledge,  both 
physical  and  intellectual,  from  which  to  uplift  our  eyes  and 
thoughts  —  and  look  beyond. 

While  our  knowledge  of  the  physical  laws  of  the  v/orld 
may  continue  to  increase,  there  is  little  likelihood  that  we 
shall  ever  again  enlarge  our  mental  horizon  by  such  stu- 
pendous finds  as  have  come  to  us  with  the  sacred  books  of 
the  Hindus,  the  hieroglyphs  of  the  Egyptians,  and  all  these 
other  marvels  of  the  past.  Hence  it  is  well  to  pause  and 
take  more  careful  account  of  our  recovered  treasure,  to  place 
side  by  side  the  richest  gems  of  this  "  wisdom  of  the  East," 
and  so  add  all  their  wealth  of  knowledge  to  our  own. 

THE    PRESENT    SERIES 

That  is  what  the  present  series  of  volumes  seeks  to  do. 
Erom  each  of  the  great  centers  of  Oriental  thought,  it  gathers 
the  chief  writings.  Only  the  greatest  works  are  given. 
These  are  offered  with  brief  explanations  of  their  value  and 
their  origin.  Minor  points  of  note  and  comment  have  been, 
avoided,  the  purpose  being  to  let  the  reader  study  the  ancient 
books  themselves,  rather  than  our  modern  discussion  of  them. 

The  volumes  offer,  first,  the  oldest  discovered  documents 
of  each  ancient  civilization,  so  that  the  reader  mav  see  for 
himself  what  vague  stirrings  of  thought  first  came  to  men. 
Sometimes  these  earliest  fragments  embody  religious  ideas 
from  days  far,  far  older  than  the  Divine  revelations  to 
Moses.  Sometimes  they  deal  with  the  moral  rather  than 
the  spiritual  world,  proverbs  which  show  how  man  had  re- 
solved to  deal  with  man,  thousands  of  years  before  Christ's 
great  command,  "  Love  one  another."  Sometimes  they  are 
boasts  of  a  vain  conqueror ;  sometimes  songs  of  joy ;  more 
often  cries  of  terror.  But  in  each  case  they  are  the  earliest 
visions  which  open  to  us  the  human  heart. 


Vlll 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION 


Following  these  most  ancient  recovered  fragments,  our 
series  gives  for  each  race  its  great  religious  book,  its  Bible, 
Koran,  or  whatever  else  it  has  held  most  sacred  as  the  gift 
of  God  to  man.  For,  never  a  race  rose  to  civilization,  but 
it  seems  to  have  regarded  some  portion  of  its  thought  as  be- 
ing divine.  Some  one  of  its  writings  was  declared  an  in- 
spiration which  had  come  to  man  from  a  higher  source 

than  he. 

Then  is  given  the  chief  —  or  oldest  —  historical  writing 
of  each  race,  its  most  valued  poems,  its  travels,  a  specimen 
of  its  drama,  if  it  ever  developed  drama,  its  chief  romance, 
and  something  of  its  simpler  household  tales.  Thus  the  ef- 
fort is  made  to  let  the  reader  see  for  himself  the  best  of  all 
the  literature  of  the  East.  Thus  he  can  follow  Oriental  wis- 
dom from  its  beginning. 

A  SUM]\rAEIZED  HISTORY  OF  EASTERN  LITERATURE 

As  far  as  possible  the  books  of  each  nation  have  been  not 
only  kept  by  themselves,  but  arranged  chronologically. 
Thus  each  of  our  volumes  is  also  a  history  of  a  nation's 
literature.  Read  first  the  brief  introductory  sketch  to  each, 
telling  w^hat  the  nation's  course  has  been  in  literature,  what 
its  chief  books  and  writers,  and  what  the  progress  of  its 
thought.  Guided  by  this  general  knowledge,  turn  then  to 
whatever  chiss  of  works  most  please  you  in  the  body  of  the 
volumes.  Read  the  strangely  differing  romances  of  the 
varied  races,  their  quaintly  worded  travels,  their  boastful 
histories.  Or  balance,  one  against  the  other,  the  varied  hu- 
man passions  of  their  poems.  Or,  best  of  all,  compare  their 
Sacred  Books,  and  gather  how,  amid  all  the  thousand  di- 
versities of  man's  physical  growth  and  culture,  his  spiritual 
thought  remains  ever  in  its  elements  the  same,  because  it  is 
giiidrd  by  some  "Wisdom  older,  stronger,  and  more  all-en- 
veloping than  human  intellect. 

Charles  F.  IIorne- 


CONTENTS    OF   VOLUME   I 


BABYLONIA  AND  ASSYRIA 

PAOB 

Introduction — The  Remarkable  Re-discovery  of 
Earth's  Early  Civilization  and  of  the  Growth 

of  Religious  Thought  in  Man 1 

THE  FIRST  CIVILIZATION 

I. — The  Tales  of  Babylon  that  Survived  Its  Fall  15 

Fragments  of  the  Historian  Berosus  (300  B.C.)  .  19 

II. — Earth's  Oldest  Language:   The  Sumerian      .  27 

The  Locust  Charm,  Earth's  Oldest  Text  (4000 

B.C.  or  older) 34 

A  King  Buys  Land  (3200  b.c.) 36 

The  Royal  Inscriptions  of  Lagash  (3000-2500 

B.C.) 41 

The  Dream  of  Gudea  (2500  B.C.) 55 

The  Destruction  of  Uruk  (2100  b.c)       ...  59 

The  Oldest  Creation  Story  (2500  b.c?)  ...  60 

Charms  against  Evil  Spirits '     .  71 

A  Hymn  to  the  Storm-God 73 

III. — ^Texts  in  the  Akkadian,  or  Oldest  Semitic 

Tongue 75 

A  Fragmentary  Temple  Record  (3200  B.C.?)     .  79 

Agricultural  Precepts 80 

Philosophy  of  an  Unknown  King 85 

Chronicles  of  the  First  World-Conquerors  (2675 

B.C.) .  87 

IX 


X  CONTENTS 

THE  GREAT  AGE  OF  BABYLONIA  (2100-1100  b.c.) 

PAGE 

IV. — The  Writings  of  -Hammurapi  (2081  B.C.)      .     .  105 

Inscriptions  and  Letters 109 

The  First  Complete  Law  Code 114 

V. — The  Creation  Epic 147 

VI. — The  Epic  of  Gilgamesh  and  the  Goddess  Ishtar  185 

VIL — Other  Religious  Legends 221 

Adapa,  and  the  Food  of  Life 225 

The  Seven  Evil  Spirits 233 

Charms  against  the  Seven  Spirits      ....  234 
Descent  of  the  Goddess  Ishtar  to  the  Nether- 
world     235 

VIII. — Moral  and  Philosophical  Texts       ....  243 

Babylonian  Proverbs 246 

A  Moralist's  Counsel 248 

The  Babylonian  "  Ten  Commandments "      .      .  249 

A  Penitential  Psalm 251 

The  Babylonian  "Job"      .      . 253 

IX. — The  Tel-el- Am arna  Letters  (1400  b.c.)       .     .  261 

THE  GREAT  AGE  OF  ASSYRIA  (889-626  b.c.) 

X. — Records  of  the  Conquering  Kings  ....  355 

The  Black  Obelisk  of  Shalmaneser     ....  360 

The  Nimrod  Inscription 373 

Inscription  of  Sargon  II 381 

Sennacherib's  Boast 396 

XI. — Prayers  and  Magic  Incantations     ....  413 

THE  NEO-BABYLONIAN  AGE  (625-539  b.c.) 

XII. — Nebuchadrezzar  and  Belshazzar    ....  435 

Inscription  of  Nebuchadrezzar 439 

Business  Documents  of  Belshazzar    ....  457 
The   Fall   of   Babylon:    Inscription   of   Cyrus, 

the  Aryan  Conqueror 460 

Bibliography • 463 


ILLUSTRATIONS    IN   VOLUME   I 


FACING  PAOB 

The  Present  and  the  Past Frontispiece 

The  Oldest  Writing  in  the  World 34 

Marduk  Destroys  the  Dragon  Tiamat 160 

The  Walls  of  Babylon  and  Temple  of  Babel     ....     256 

A  Human  Sacrifice  to  Baal 320 

The  Assyrians  Assaulting  a  City 400 


SACKED  BOOKS  AND  EAKLY  LITEMTUEE 

OF 

BABYLONIA  AND  ASSYRIA 


INTRODUCTION 

THE  REMARKABLE  REDISCOVERY  OF  EARTH'S  EARLY 

CIVILIZATION  AND  OF  THE  GROWTH  OF 

RELIGIOUS  THOUGHT  IN  MAN 

THE  ancient  Asiatic  land  of  Babylonia,  the  fertile  valley  of 
the  great  Euphrates  river,  has  a  double  interest,  suffi- 
cient to  arouse  the  eager  attention  of  every  modern  reader.  In 
the  first  place  this  valley  was  the  home  of  the  oldest  civiliza- 
tion that  has  survived  in  any  intelligible  form,  and  in  its 
literature  we  may  study  the  earliest  upward  steps  of  the 
thought  and  intelligence  of  our  human  race.  In  the  second 
place,  the  Hebrew  people  were  Babylonians,  who  left  the  land 
some  two  thousand  years  before  Christ,  under  the  guidance 
of  their  patriarch  Abraham.  Hence  much  as  the  Hebrew 
religion  was  afterward  uplifted  by  the  teachings  of  Moses, 
of  Jesus,  and  of  many  a  lesser  spiritual  leader,  yet  the  human 
beginnings  of  both  Jewish  and  Christian  faiths  are  founded 
on  Babylonian  thought  and  knowledge.  Our  religious  be- 
liefs of  to-day  are  still  interwoven  with  many  a  strand  that 
can  be  traced  back  to  its  Babylonian  source.  Still  a  third, 
though  lighter,  cause  for  interest  in  the  old  Babylonian  texts 
lies  in  the  newness  and  oddity  and  curiosity  of  their  recent 
rediscovery  after  they  had  lain  buried  for  many  ages,  and 
were  apparently  lost  to  the  world  forever. 

The  antiquity  of  Babylonia  is  so  great,  the  destruction  of 
its  many  powerful  cities  was  so  complete,  that  even  in  the 

VOL.  I.— 1.  1 


2  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

isLT  distant  days  of  Greece  and  Eome  men  were  beginning 
to  forget  Babylon  and  to  make  the  mistake  of  referring  to 
Egypt  as  the  earliest  home  of  civilization.  So  complete  be- 
came the  oblivion  of  the  older  land  that,  a  century  ago,  our 
modem  world  knew  nothing  of  Babylonia  or  of  its  later  rival 
Assyria,  except  for  the  chance  references  to  them  in  the 
Hebrew  Scriptures  and  a  few  comments  preserved  in  old 
Greek  authors.  The  pictures  of  Babylonia  in  the  Bible  were 
of  the  original  paradise,  the  flood,  and  then  of  a  great  power 
under  a  savage  king  Nimrod,  or  under  later  tyrants,  such  as 
Sennacherib  and  Nebuchadrezzar.  The  Greek  comments 
were  all  based  on  one  source  —  a  history  by  a  Babylonian 
priest,  Berosus,  written  about  the  time  of  Alexander  the 
Great.  These  surviving  fragments  from  Berosus  are  given 
here  at  the  opening  of  our  volume,  that  the  reader  may  com- 
bine them  with  the  well-known  Bible  story  and  so  begin  by 
seeing  Babylonia  as  all  the  world  saw  it  a  century  ago,  a 
land  of  somber  mystery,  of  desolation  incurred  as  a  direct 
curse  for  sin,  of  darkness  lightened  only  by  the  fantastic 
legends  of  Berosus. 

The  reopening  to  our  vision  of  the  strange,  true  world  of 
this  most  ancient  land  began  about  seventy  years  ago.  Scien- 
tific explorers  unearthed  the  ruins  of  some  of  its  forgotten 
cities,  and  found  wall-carvings  and  tablets  inscribed  in  the 
old  Assyrian  language.  At  first  no  man  could  read  the  un- 
known script,  and  it  is  one  of  the  proudest  triumphs  of  sci- 
entific ingenuity  that  by  patient  labor  our  scholars  managed 
at  last  to  interpret  the  ancient  signs,  and  reread  the  lan- 
guage which  had  been  obliterated  for  over  two  thousand 
years. 

Spurred  on  by  this  remarkable  success,  our  scientists  have 
explored  the  whole  Euphrates  valley  and  delved  into  many 
a  buried  city.  Briefly  outlined,  the  knowledge  we  have 
gained  is  this.  Eive  thousand  years  ago  there  stood  in  the 
Babylonian  valley  many  strong  cities  encircled  by  mighty 
defensive  walls  of  brick,  and  inhabited  by  men  of  consid- 
erable intellectual  power.  These  people  wrote,  and  medi- 
tated, and  invented  arts,  and  had  priests  and  kings  and  car- 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  d 

penters,  and  lived  in  that  mutual  dependence  and  division 
of  the  labors  of  life  which  we  call  civilization.  Moreover, 
these  grim  and  ancient  city  walls  were  some  of  them  built 
high  upon  the  ruins  of  yet  older  fortified  towns,  dating  back 
into  centuries  that  we  can  not  count.  At  the  very  bottom 
of  one  of  these  huge  mounds  of  ruin,  overlaid  by  the  debris  of 
city  upon  city,  our  explorers  have  come  at  last  upon  the  rem- 
nants of  a  mere  simple  fishermen's  village.  How  long  is  it 
since  those  fisher  folk  spread  their  crude  nets  against  the 
still  unceasing  flow  of  the  great  Euphrates  river  ?  jSTo  man 
can  say,  but  the  explorers  reckon  that  the  village  may  per- 
haps date  back  twelve  thousand  years. 

Despite  this  doubling  and  doubling  again  of  the  length  of 
our  modern  vision  into  the  past,  no  scientist  would  to-day  say 
positively  that  these  strange,  brick-built  cities  of  Babylonia 
represent  man's  original  civilization,  his  first  rise  above  the 
savage  state.  They  represent  only  the  first  of  which  we  have 
clear  trace.  Searchers  have  caught  vague  glimpses  of  other 
civilizations  perhaps  even  older,  in  central  Asia.  And  in 
the  seaport  city  of  Eridu,  one  of  the  very  oldest  of  Baby- 
lonian centers  of  culture,  the  chief  religious  legend  was  of 
the  god,  Ea,  who  had  in  long  past  years  come  from  the  sea, 
and  taught  the  people  all  they  knew.  This  may  well  imply 
the  arrival  of  a  chance  wanderer  from  some  far  land  wherein 
the  dawn  of  knowledge  had  begun  yet  earlier. 

THE   LIBEABY   OF  ASHUK-BANIPAI. 

Most  of  our  knowledge  of  the  literature  and  religion  of 
Babylonia  has  come  to  us  from  our  discovery  of  the  library 
of  the  Assyrian  king,  Ashur-banipal.  This  monarch  reigned 
at  a  comparatively  recent  date,  about  650  b.c.  ;  but  he  was 
himself  an  interested  student  of  the  past,  that  past  which  he 
could  trace  as  far  behind  him  as  we,  a  century  ago,  could 
trace  our  past.  So  King  Ashur-banipal  set  his  learned  men 
to  transcribing  all  the  literature  of  the  older  days,  writing  it 
down  in  his  capital  city  of  Nineveh,  on  the  little  tablets,  or 
bricks  of  clay,  which  were  his  books.  Into  these  clay  tab- 
lets the  scribes  stamped  the  queer  little  wedge-shaped  fig- 


4  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

ures,  which  we  now  call  the  "  cuneiform  "  (cone-shaped)  lan- 
guage. This  peculiar-looking  library,  in  which  the  books 
themselves  were  bricks,  was  afterward  destroyed  with  the 
destruction  of  the  city;  but  we  have  found  some  twenty 
thousand  of  the  tablets  which,  despite  fire  and  flood  and  time, 
can  still  be  read  wholly  or  in  part.  There  have  been  other 
writings  found  in  other  places,  many  books  of  brick;  but 
no  others  have  given  us  such  value  as  the  great  library  of 
Ashur-banipal. 

THE  FOUR  SUCCESSIVE  CIVILIZATIONS   OF  BABYLONIA 

From  all  these  garnered  writings  we  have  learned  that 
there  were  at  least  four,  if  not  more,  successive  and  very  dif- 
ferent civilizations  built  up  in  the  Babylonian  valley.  The 
first  clearly  visible  civilization,  which  flourished  long  before 
the  mighty  city  of  Babylon  arose,  was  that  of  the  Sumerian 
people.  They  lived  at  the  southern  end  of  the  valley,  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Euphrates  river,  or  along  the  sea-coast  of 
the  Persian  Gulf.  These  Sumerians  seem  to  have  been  of 
different  stock  from  either  of  the  two  races  of  men  that  have 
since  dominated  the  world  —  the  Aryan  ancestors  of  Europe 
and  America,  and  the  great  Semitic  stock  from  which  sprang 
the  Arabs,  Babylonians,  and  Hebrews.  The  Sumerians  were 
more  like  the  smooth-faced,  round-headed  men  of  central 
Asia,  the  Chinese  or  Tartars.  So,  perchance,  both  Aryans 
and  Semites  have  been  but  the  bearers  of  a  borrowed  torch 
of  culture.  The  first  light  of  thought,  of  progress,  may 
have  been  set  aflame  among  the  Sumerians,  or  even,  as  the 
tale  of  Ea  suggests,  in  some  still  earlier  race  of  men. 

Xorth  of  Sumer,  higher  up  the  Euphrates,  there  began, 
in  an  age  perhaps  five  thousand  years  before  Christ,  the 
growth  of  other  cities.  These  were  built  by  a  more  bar- 
baric people,  of  different  language  and  race,  who  at  first 
looked  up  to  the  Sumerians  and  borrowed  much  from  them. 
This  rouglier  northern  land  was  called  Akkad ;  and  its  peo- 
ple, the  Akkadians,  were  chiefly  of  Semitic  stock,  wander- 
ers probably  from  Syria  or  from  the  nearby  desert  of  Arabia. 

Gradually  the  fiercer,  more  numerous  men  of  Akkad  came 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  6 

to  dominate  those  of  Sumer.  And  then,  not  later  than  twen- 
ty-five hundred  years  before  Christ  —  for  we  come  now  to 
days  and  events  upon  which  we  can  set  a  date,  though  schol- 
ars are  not  yet  positive  within  narrow  limits  —  there  swept 
over  Akkad  a  new  Semitic  invasion.  With  this  the  rule  of 
the  city  of  Babylon  began,  a  new  city  speaking  a  new  lan- 
guage, though  similar  to  the  Akkadian. 

Babylon  first  became  powerful  under  a  famous  conqueror, 
King  Sargou,  whom  later  ages  adopted  as  the  founder  of 
the  great  city.  Then,  several  centuries  later  (about  2000 
B.C.),  a  second  soldier  and  great  ruler  in  the  ways  of  peace, 
Ilammurapi,  raised  the  city  to  such  a  height  of  power  and 
splendor  as  fixed  forever  its  name  and  its  ascendancy  over 
the  entire  Euphrates  valley.^ 

It  was  in  Hammurapi's  day,  if  not  before  under  Sargon, 
that  Babylon's  power  and  influence  began  to  spread  beyond 
the  Euphrates  valley.  Her  people  gained  their  first  knowl- 
edge of  the  rival  civilization  of  Egypt.  This  was  probably 
less  ancient  than  that  of  the  Sumerians;  but  Egypt  had  not 
been  so  harried  by  devastating  war  as  was  the  easily  acces- 
sible valley  of  the  Euphrates ;  and  we  shall  find  in  Egypt  a 
more  rapid  progress  in  all  the  arts  —  with  the  exception  of 
the  one  dread  art  of  war.     While  Hammurapi  and  his  Baby- 

1  The  chronology  of  our  most  recent  Babylonian  scholars  has  been 
adopted  throughout  this  volume.  Babylonian  chronology  ia  soundly 
and  fully  established  from  about  the  time  of  Hammurapi  (2000  B.C.) 
onward.  But  as  to  the  gap  of  years  which  separates  him  from  Sargon 
there  is  doubt.  Until  lately  our  scholars  had  accepted  without  ques- 
tion the  positive  statement  of  a  late  Babylonian  king,  who  said  that 
in  rebuilding  an  ancient  temple  he  found  beneath  it  an  inscription 
showing  it  to  have  been  built  thirty-two  hundred  years  before,  by  the 
king  who  had  succeeded  Sargon.  This  would  have  dated  Sargon's 
reign  at  about  3800  B.C.,  or  nearly  two  thousand  years  before  Ham- 
murapi. But  as  recent  discoveries  increase  our  knowledge  of  those 
early  days,  our  scientists  have  found  reason  to  doubt  whether  more 
than  a  few  hundred  years  intervened  between  these  two  great  kings  of 
Babylon.  More  probably  the  monarch  who  announced  the  old  temple's 
date  was  mistaken,  or  perhaps  his  officials  deceived  him.  At  all  events, 
the  present  inclination  is  to  set  the  date  of  Sargon  between  2600  and 
2800  B.C.,  and  so  reduce  all  older  figures  by  rather  more  than  a  thou- 
sand years.  This  most  recent  reckoning  is  the  one  employed  through- 
out this  volume. 


6  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

lonians  fought,  the  men  of  Egypt  thought.  Thus  Egypt's 
intellectual  and  religious  development  makes  her  ancient  lit- 
erature in  some  ways  more  worthy  of  study  than  that  of  Baby- 
lon, though  Egypt  never  reached  the  opulence  nor  the  cos- 
mopolitan spirit  of  the  shrewd  Babylonians.  The  latter  be- 
came the  merchant  princes,  the  commercial  travelers,  of  the 
world. 

There  still  remains  a  fourth  Euphrates  empire  to  be  noted. 
The  Assyrians,  who  dwelt  in  what  had  been  originally  a  sort 
of  rough  frontier  colony  of  Babylon,  gradually  grew  in  war- 
like power,  until  they  threw  off  the  yoke  of  Babylon,  con- 
quered the  parent  city,  and  became  in  their  turn  the  military 
rulers  of  the  entire  valley.  Babylon,  however,  continued 
even  in  Assyrian  days  to  dominate  the  region  as  its  chief 
center  of  religion  and  culture.  Sometimes  Babylon  fought 
for  independence;  at  others  it  submitted  and  was  boastfully 
displayed  as  the  proudest  jewel  of  the  Assyrian  crown. 

THE    OLDEST    LITEEATUKE    AND    THE    GROWTH    OF    THOUGHT 

Turn  now  to  the  literary  remains  of  these  four  successive 
ages.  Many  of  the  tablets  of  the  Assyrian  Ashur-banipal 
are  written  in  two  parallel  columns.  They  give  the  text 
in  his  own  tongue  and  also  in  the  ancient  Akkadian,  or  Su- 
merian.  Sometimes  a  third  column  gives  the  same  record 
in  the  later  Akkadian,  or  Babylonian  language.  Hence  we 
learn  that  the  old  Akkadian  tongue  had  been  retained  for 
thousands  of  years,  much  as  Latin  has  been  in  our  own  day, 
as  a  sort  of  religious  language.  Later,  Babylonian  and  As- 
syrian resembled  it,  were  bom  from  it,  as  our  Italian  and 
Erench  are  born  from  Latin.  The  priests  of  Babylon  sang 
their  religious  chants  in  the  ancient  Akkadian.  We  might 
even  compare  our  day  and  theirs  yet  further ;  for  just  as  we 
find  our  ultimate  religious  sources  not  in  the  Latin,  but  in 
the  still  more  ancient  Hebrew,  so  Babylon  looked  back  be- 
yond Akkad  and  found  its  first  religious  source  in  the  Su- 
merian  tongue. 

In  the  present  volume,  therefore,  you  will  find,  first  of 
all,    the   surviving  fragments   of  the   pre-Babylonian   days. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  7 

First  come  the  Sumerian  texts,  the  oldest  and  most  valuable 
survivals  of  that  earliest  human  tongue,  a  language  that  had 
been  dead  for  centuries  before  Hebrew  or  Greek  or  Latin 
was  first  bom. 

Next  comes  the  old  Akkadian  section.  The  religious 
chants  and  hymns  in  Akkadian  are  quite  numerous  among 
the  later  libraries;  but  we  can  not  be  sure  whether  they 
preserve  genuine  early  Akkadian  thought  or  were  composed 
in  the  old  tongue  by  Babylonian  priests,  much  as  the  poet- 
Milton  and  many  another  modern  scholar  wrote  Latin  hymns, 
long  after  Latin  had  disappeared  from  common  use.  In  ad- 
dition to  this  book  Akkadian,  however,  our  explorers  have 
found  numerous  carved  inscriptions  of  old  Akkadian  and 
even  Sumerian  date.  Moreover,  when  we  deal  with  late  As- 
syrian transcripts  we  must  remember  that  Assyrian  legend 
and  religious  faith  always  look  back  to  the  older  originals. 
Neither  Assyria  nor  Babylon  seems  to  have  added  much  to 
the  stock  of  thought  which  each  inherited.  The  progress 
of  ideas,  through  all  those  many  centuries  that  we  can  trace, 
was  almost  inconceivably  slow.  An  Assyrian  would  have 
told  you,  like  many  a  modern  pessimist,  that  there  was  noth- 
ing new  under  the  sun,  that  every  possible  thing  had  been, 
thought  and  said,  and  said  again,  thousands  of  years  before 
his  time. 

We  have  lived  to  know  that  the  Assyrian  was  wrong.  We 
can  see  now  how  even  his  o%vn  civilization  bore  within  it  the 
seeds  of  a  tremendously  expanding  tree  of  knowledge  and 
divine  inspiration.  To  realize  this,  to  see  how  from  Baby- 
lonian sources  were  to  burst  forth  the  great  Hebrew  religious 
thought,  and  also  the  great  Greek  scientific  thought,  one  need 
only  follow  earnestly  the  literature  presented  in  this  and  the 
succeeding  volumes. 

Let  the  reader  begin  by  noting  here  the  faith  and  the  de- 
gree of  intelligence,  as  well  as  the  social  and  religious  cus- 
toms, that  find  expression  in  our  Sumerian  and  Akkadian 
texts,  those  immeasurably  old  and  oldest  treasure-houses  of 
human  ideas.  There  are  proverbs,  some  of  them  closely 
paralleling  our  modern  sayings.     There  are  spells  to  ward 


8  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

off  evil,  such  as  our  age  has  almost,  but  not  quite,  outgrown. 
There  are  pompous  boasts  of  conquests  by  forgotten  kings, 
whose  very  names  are  now  unreadable.  There  are  laws  also, 
to  protect  property  and  life,  savage  retaliatory  laws  such  as 
we  should  expect  at  the  beginning ;  and  there  are  other  laws 
such  as  we  should  not  have  expected,  arranging  small  details 
of  business.  Instead  of  a  single  patriarch  or  ruler  deciding 
all  matters  off-hand  by  a  rough  personal  sense  of  justice, 
there  was  already  a  complex  social  code,  seeking  to  fix  broad 
impersonal  relationships  of  equal  standing  for  all  men.  As 
for  the  religious  chants,  they  speak  of  good  powers  and  evil 
powers,  gods  and  demons;  but  these  show  no  large  religious 
thought.  Their  imagined  deities  were  little  more  than  men. 
Each  city  had  at  first  its  own  god,  and  sometimes  he  could 
not  even  protect  his  special  city,  so  his  people  did  not  think 
of  him  as  very  powerful.  It  was  quite  natural  that  some 
other  city,  having  a  god  a  little  stronger,  should  fight  against 
him. 

THE  GREAT  AGE  OF  BABYLONIA 
HAMMUKAPl's    CODE,;    THE    CREATION    EPIC 

From  these  early  Sumerian  and  Akkadian  days  arose  at 
last  the  great  empire  and  rich  civilization  of  the  city  of 
Babylon.  Its  monarchs  conquered  all  the  world  they  knew; 
and  its  literature  incorporated  all  the  old  legends  and  gave 
them  a  newer  and  more  lasting  life,  by  which  they  have 
survived  until  now.  Among  the  kings  of  Babylon,  we  look 
first  and  chiefly  to  Hammurapi.  Modem  scholars  have 
chosen  this  ancient  monarch  as  the  crowning  genius  of  his 
country  and  his  race.  If  Babylon  had  been  famed  before 
his  day,  he  extended  both  its  fame  and  its  power  until  they 
seemed  illimitable.  He  gathered  the  older  laws  of  his  land 
and  framed  them  all  into  a  single  code,  which  still  survives. 
He  wrote  personal  letters  which  we  can  read  to-day.  His 
name  means  more  to  us  than  that  of  any  other  Babylonian 
before  Nebuchadrezzar. 

Somewhere  about  Ilammurapi's  time,  perhaps  in  the 
peace  which  under  his  dominion  extended  up  and  down  the 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  9 

length  of  the  sorely  suffering  valley  of  the  great  river,  lit- 
erature reached  its  fullest  splendor.  Most  of  the  later  texts 
now  found  prove  to  be  copies  of  older  works,  dating  back 
in  one  way  or  another  to  this  great  Babylonian  period. 

Then  arose  the  Creation  Epic,  founded  on  still  earlier 
Sumerian  tales,  but  now  assuming  its  final  form.  Indeed, 
several  varying  creation-legends  have  been  preserved  and  are 
here  given.  The  chief  form  of  the  epic  is  a  noteworthy  work, 
partly  because  it  somewhat  tallies  with  the  Biblical  narra- 
tive of  the  "  beginning's,"  partly  because  it  marks  such  an 
upward  step  in  religious  conception.  The  Babylonians  had 
become  wholly  convinced  that  their  chief  god,  Marduk,  was 
more  powerful  than  any  other.  So  they  thought  of  him,  not 
exactly  as  ruling  the  world,  but  at  least  as  being  able  to  de- 
feat any  other  deity.  They  enlarged  their  conception  of 
him  until,  in  the  epic,  he  becomes  a  civilizing  god  who  wars 
against  chaos  and  the  monsters  of  darkness.  And  he  con- 
quers. But  the  struggle  is  not  an  easy  one;  Marduk  must 
fight  his  very  best — just  as  in  real  life  Babylon  must  keep 
constant  ward  against  all  the  wild  and  terrible  barbarians 
sweeping  down  upon  her  valley  from  the  unknown  regions  of 
the  outer  world. 

THE    GILGAMESII    EPIC 

To  this  age  also  belongs  apparently  the  Gilgamesh  Epic, 
the  story  of  a  national  hero  and  ancient  king,  which  includes 
the  tale  of  the  flood  and  many  another  old,  old  legend.  This 
Gilgamesh  epic  has  been  declared  by  modern  critics  the 
finest  flower  of  Babylonian  literature.  Modern  English 
poems  have  been  built  upon  it,  yet  the  ancient  epic  itself 
has  never  been  fully  translated  into  English.  For  this  rea- 
son Professor  Jastrow  has  prepared  for  the  present  volume 
a  special  translation,  the  fullest  which  has  yet  been  given 
in  our  language.  As  the  Gilgamesh  story  also  includes  a 
love-tale,  or  something  that  approaches  this,  the  epic  thus  be- 
comes earth's  first  romance. 

To  this  fascinating  ancient  epic  are  here  added  several 
other  tales,  rich  with  vivid  glimpses  into  the  world  of  the 


10  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

early  days.  Sometimes  these  tales  resemble  closely  and  most 
instructively  some  passages  of  our  own  Bible,  but  it  may  be 
well  to  warn  the  reader  that  in  the  early  days  of  Babylonian 
discovery  these  resemblances  were  somewhat  exaggerated. 
Scholars  were  so  interested  in  tracing  every  similarity  that 
they  succeeded  in  finding  some  which  did  not  exist.  For 
example,  one  fragment  of  the  Creation  Epic  was  misread  as 
describing  the  tempting  of  Eve  by  the  serpent;  and  another 
fragment  was  widely  heralded  as  relating  to  the  building 
of  the  tower  of  Babel.  The  latter  tale  is  now  seen  to  be 
dealing  with  some  great  tumult  caused  by  a  king  or 
god  in  Babylon,  but  without  any  mention  whatever  of  a 
tower. 

Nevertheless,  the  Babylonian  tales  have  all  a  religious  and 
almost  a  Biblical  tinge.  It  is  hard  to  say  where,  in  that 
distant  epoch,  religion  ceased  and  simple  story-telling  began. 
The  narratives  deal  always  with  the  mingled  doings  of  gods 
and  men,  because  these  two,  as  we  have  seen,  were  in  the 
dawning  of  Akkadian  religious  thought  almost  the  same.  It 
must,  indeed,  have  been  in  such  semi-religious  tales  that  the 
Babylonians  took  their  pleasure ;  for  we  have  found  no  other 
stories,  and  no  drama,  no  studies  of  the  human  heart,  and 
no  comic  quips.  Man  may  have  learned  to  laugh  even  in 
those  grim  days,  but,  if  so,  he  put  no  trace  of  laughter  into 
his  books.     He  kept  his  written  records  very  seriously. 

We  might  extend  this  comment  further  to  say  that  theie 
is  little  of  what  is  commonly  called  "  literary  merit  "  m  any 
of  the  old  Babylonian  writings.  Their  interest  to-day  de- 
pends wholly  upon  the  reader,  upon  his  power  to  gather  from 
them  some  vision  of  human  nature  in  its  early  childhood. 
In  our  imperfect  knowledge  of  this  lost  language  we  can  not 
judge  whether  in  the  original  the  lines  had  any  marked 
music  of  sound,  though  it  is  quite  clear  that  many  of  them 
were  written  in  verse.  Moreover,  the  religious  chants  offer 
us  sad  echoes  of  human  passion,  a  stirring  of  stem  heart- 
strings such  as  can  be  felt  despite  all  the  difficulties  of  time 
and  language.  And  some  passages  of  the  Gilgamesh  and 
Creation  epics  are  large  with  power  and  vision.     But,  upon 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  11 

the  whole,  the  Babylonian  skill  in  self-expression  was  crude 
and  slight. 

BUSINESS  DOCUMENTS  AND  PRIVATE  LETTERS 

There  is  yet  another  class  of  Babylonian  records,  scarcely 
to  be  called  literature,  yet  of  very  curious  interest  and  value. 
These  are  the  letters,  private  or  official,  and  the  business 
documents  of  the  time.  The  majority  of  the  clay  tablets 
that  have  come  down  to  us  have  been  of  this  latter  character ; 
that  is  to  say,  business  records,  formal  agreements  made  in 
the  presence  of  witnesses  and  then  filed  in  some  public  or 
private  storeroom  that  there  might  be  no  "  breaking  of  the 
bond."  In  one  case  we  have  even  recovered  the  complete 
set  of  tablets  of  a  Babylonian  business  firm,  continuing  from 
generation  to  generation  for  nearly  two  hundred  years.  The 
name  of  this  most  ancient  and  long-lived  firm  of  business 
magnates,  forerunners  of  our  present  merchant  princes,  was 
Egibi.  They  were  bankers,  and  while  their  own  surviving 
records  began  only  about  600  b.c,  when  they  were  called  "  the 
sons  of  Egibi,"  yet  we  find  other  earlier  references  to  the 
house  of  Egibi,  so  that  their  banking  career  is  thought  to 
have  begun  as  early  as  perhaps  900  b.c.  Tablets  such  as 
theirs  can  have  no  wide  interest,  yet  a  few  samples  of  them 
are  given,  that  the  reader  may  see  for  himself  the  methods 
of  Babylonian  traffic. 

Far  more  humanly  interesting  are  the  personal  letters, 
carrying  bad  news  or  good,  and  the  political  ones,  seeking 
to  curry  favor  with  a  king.  Of  political  letters,  the  most 
remarkable  find  of  the  last  generation  is  the  collection  called 
the  Tel-el-Amarna  letters.  These  w^ere  not  discovered  in 
the  Babylonian  valley  at  all,  but  in  Egypt  at  Tel-el-Amarna 
in  1888. 

The  importance  of  this  series  of  letters  lies  mainly  in  the 
fact  that  they  have  shown  us  that  Babylonian  was  the  po- 
litical language  of  their  time,  a  sort  of  universal  medium 
employed  by  many  nations.  Thus  the  influence  of  Baby- 
lonia's culture  extended  even  farther  than  her  arms.  The 
letters  themselves  are  written  to  the  king  of  Egypt  by  gov- 


Ig  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

ernors  and  princes  of  Palestine  and  Syria,  who  were  tribu- 
tary to  him.  Yet  these  submissive  reports  to  a  proud  con- 
queror are  written  not  in  Egyptian,  but  in  Babylonian. 
Their  subjects  are  of  very  human  interest:  excuses  for  not 
sending  tribute,  appeals  for  help  against  rebellion,  vows  of 
honesty  and  fidelity  mingled  with  bitter  charges  of  bad  faith 
and  disloyalty  against  their  neighbors.  All  the  methods  of 
"  diplomacy "  are  here  revealed  to  us  as  being  as  old  as 
empire  itself.  Falsehood  and  the  cunning  of  the  vanquished 
are  shown  upon  the  surface,  with  brute  ferocity  beneath, 
ready  to  strike  heavy  when  it  dares. 

ASSYRIAN    LITERATUEE 

When  we  turn  to  the  Assyrian  literature  we  find  it  of  the 
same  general  character  as  that  of  the  older  races,  whose 
thought  the  Assyrians  inherited.  The  later  records  of  boast- 
ful kings  still  read  much  like  those  of  Sargon  and  Ham- 
murapi.  Only,  with  the  rougher,  fiercer  Assyrians,  there 
came  into  each  king's  boasting  a  cruder  note,  a  seeming  de- 
light in  savagery  and  torture  that  pictures  the  Semitic  race 
at  its  very  worst.  The  mailed  foot  of  Assyria  trampled 
upon  the  conquered  nations  with  ten  times  the  destruction 
that  Babylon  had  wrought. 

THE    EEADING    OF    THE    RIDDLE    OF    THE    TEXTS 

Our  volume  gives  the  examples  of  these  gi-im  historical  rec- 
ords which  are  most  noteworthy  to-day.  The  first,  the  "  In- 
scription of  Tiglath-pileser  I.,"  has  a  special  interest  from 
having  been  the  text  by  which  scientific  scholars  first  con- 
vinced the  world  that  they  had  really  solved  the  riddle  of 
these  old  clay  tablets,  and  could  interpret  their  long-forgotten 
writing.  This  happened  in  1860.  Scholars  had  before  of- 
fered translations  of  other  Assyrian  writings;  but  critics 
pointed  out  that  there  was  no  proof  that  the  tablets  reallj 
meant  what  some  scholars  said  they  did.  So  four  noted 
Orientalists  established  a  test.  They  selected  this  unknown 
inscription  and  each  translated  it  separately.  The  four 
translations  were  then  presented  to  a  jury  of  learned  men. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  13 

If  four  men,  working  separately,  could  read  the  same  mean- 
ing from  this  ancient  script,  the  meaning  must  be  there. 
There  were  some  small  differences  among  the  translations, 
such  as  were  inevitable  at  that  early  stage  of  our  investiga- 
tion of  Assyrian  remains ;  but  upon  the  whole  the  agreement 
of  the  four  Orientalists  was  so  close  that  the  whole  world 
was  convinced  that  the  riddle  of  these  strange  ''  cuneiform  " 
texts  was  really  solved. 

NED-BABYLONIAN    LITERATUKE 

The  volume  contains  also  a  brief  review  of  what  little  we 
know  of  the  literature  of  that  other  later  Babylonian  king- 
dom, the  Neo-Babylonian,  which  triumphed  briefly  over  As- 
syria's fall.  This  was  the  kingdom  of  Nebuchadrezzar  and 
Belshazzar,  and  we  give  their  inscriptions  and  those  of  Cyrus, 
the  final  conqueror  of  Babylon,  so  as  to  complete  the  picture 
of  the  savage,  war-ridden  days  of  this  grim  childhood  of  the 
human  race. 


THE  LEGENDS  OF  BABYLON 
THAT  SURVIVED  ITS  FALL 


''  They  that  see  thee  shall  gaze  at  thee,  they  shall  consider  thee, 
saying.  Is  this  the  man  that  made  the  earth  to  tremble?  " 

—  ISAIAH   XIV.   16. 

"  And  Babylon  shall  become  heaps,  a  dwelling-place  for  jacl:- 
als,  an  astonishment  and  a  hissing,  without  inhabitant." 

—  JEREMIAH   LI.    37. 


THE  LEGENDS  OF  BABYLON 
THAT  SURVIVED  ITS  FALL 

(INTRODUCTION) 

SOME  part  of  very  old  Babylonian  legend  and  tradition 
was,  as  we  have  already  pointed  out,  carried  off  by  the 
Hebrews  when  they  first  departed  from  their  Babylonian 
home  in  the  city  of  TJr.  Hence  the  Book  of  Genesis  must 
be  reckoned  among  our  most  valued  sources  of  knowledge 
of  Babylonia.  Genesis  tells  us  that  the  Almighty's  first 
command  to  earth  was,  "  Let  there  be  light."  Those  words 
have  been  made  the  opening  quotation  and  motto  of  the  pres- 
ent series  of  volumes ;  because  from  that  divine  command 
sprang  not  only  all  Babylonian  and  Hebrew  culture,  but  also 
every  form  of  human  progress  everywhere.  Each  upward 
step  of  man  must  ever  come  from  letting  in  the  light. 

The  reader,  then,  might  well  begin  this  volume  by  review- 
ing the  first  chapters  of  Genesis,  to  gather  their  picture  of 
old  Babylonia,  the  Biblical  land  of  Shinar,  or  of  light,  the 
starting-place  of  human  civilization.  There  lay  the  garden 
of  Eden,  circled  by  its  four  rivers,  the  fertile  region  of  the 
lower  Euphrates.  There  still  towers  the  enormous  bulk  of 
Mount  Ararat,  on  which  Xoah  landed  with  the  ark.  There 
arose  the  cities  of  "  Babel  and  Erech  and  Accad  and  Calnah 
in  the  land  of  Shinar,"  wherein  Shinar  is  but  another  form 
of  Sumer,  and  all  the  names  are  easily  identified  with  those 
of  Babylonia.  There,  also,  the  huge  temple  tower  of  Babel, 
or  Babylon,  was  lifted  high  toward  heaven,  while  around  its 
base  the  traffic  of  all  the  nations  of  earth,  gathering  in  earth's 
first  great  mercantile  metropolis,  may  well  have  culminated 
in  a  very  babel  of  conflicting,  shouting  tongues. 

Yet  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  Hebrew  narrative  re- 
mained long  unknown  to  the  masses  of  mankind.     Greece 

VOL.  I.— 2.  17 


18  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

and  Rome  drew  their  scanty  knowledge  of  Babylonia,  not 
from  Genesis,  but  from  the  Babylonian  priest,  Berosus.  To 
explain  his  land  to  its  Grecian  conquerors,  Berosus  wrote 
its  history.  His  volume  has  long  since  perished;  but  frag- 
ments of  it  were  quoted  by  other  authors,  and  have  come 
down  to  us.  Mainly,  these  quotations  are  but  repetitions 
of  one  another.  The  longest  and  best  of  them  are  given 
here.  Berosus  wrote  them  after  his  country's  glory  had  long 
faded.  Chronologically,  they  belong  at  the  end  of  our  vol- 
ume rather  than  at  the  beginning.  They  are,  however,  given 
first  as  representing  what,  before  recent  scientific  explora- 
tion, was  the  sum  total  of  human  remembrance  retained  from 
all  the  struggles  and  the  splendors,  the  terrific  wars  and  gor- 
geous palaces,  all  the  sin  and  shame  and  wisdom  and  glory, 
that  went  to  make  up  at  least  five  thousand  years  of  human 
effort  in  its  most  vigorous  youth. 


THE  LEGENDS  OF  BABYLON 


BEEOSUS 


OF    THE    CEEATION    AND    CAUSES    OF    THE    DELUGE 

Berosus,  in  his  first  book  concerning  the  history  of  Baby- 
lonia, informs  us  that  he  lived  in  the  time  of  Alexander,  the 
son  of  Philip.  And  he  mentions  that  there  were  written 
accounts  preserved  at  Babylon  with  the  greatest  care,  com- 
prehending a  term  of  fifteen  myriads  of  years.  These  writ- 
ings contained  a  history  of  the  heavens  and  the  sea ;  of  the 
birth  of  mankind ;  also  of  those  who  had  sovereign  rule ;  and 
of  the  actions  achieved  by  them. 

And,  in  the  first  place,  he  describes  Babylonia  as  a  coun- 
try which  lay  between  the  Tigi'is  and  Euphrates.  He  men- 
tions that  it  abounded  with  wheat,  barley,  ocrus,  sesamum; 
and  in  the  lakes  were  found  the  roots  called  gongse,  which 
were  good  to  be  eaten,  and  were,  in  respect  to  nutriment, 
like  barley.  There  were  also  palm-trees  and  apples,  and 
most  kinds  of  fruits;  fish,  too,  and  birds;  both  those  which 
are  merely  of  flight,  and  those  which  take  to  the  element 
of  water.  The  part  of  Babylonia  which  bordered  upon 
Arabia  was  barren,  and  without  water ;  but  that  which  lay  on 
the  other  side  had  hills,  and  was  fruitful.  At  Babylon  there 
was  in  these  times  a  great  resort  of  people  of  various  nations, 
who  inhabited  Chaldea,  and  lived  without  rule  and  order, 
like  the  beasts  of  the  field. 

In  the  first  year  there  made  its  appearance,  from  a  part 
of  the  Erythraean  sea  ^  which  bordered  upon  Babylonia,  an 
animal  endowed  with  reason,  who  was  called  Oannes.  Ac- 
cording to  the  account  of  Apollodorus  the  whole  body  of  the 
animal  was  like  that  of  a  fish ;  and  had  under  a  fish's  head 
another  head,  and  also  feet  below,  similar  to  those  of  a  man, 
subjoined  to  the  fish's  tail.     His  voice,  too,  and  language 

iThe  Persian  Gulf. 

19 


20  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

were  articulate  and  bumau;  and  a  representation  of  him  is 
presen'cd  even  to  this  day. 

This  being,  in  the  da^i:ime,  used  to  converse  with  men ;  but 
took  no  food  at  that  season ;  and  be  gave  them  an  insight  into 
letters,  and  sciences,  and  every  kind  of  art.  He  taught  them 
to  construct  bouses,  to  found  temples,  to  compile  laws,  and 
explained  to  them  the  principles  of  geometrical  knowledge. 
He  made  them  distingiiish  the  seeds  of  the  earth,  and  showed 
them  bow  to  collect  fruits.  In  short,  be  instructed  them  in 
everything  which  could  tend  to  soften  manners  and  humanize 
mankind.  From  that  time,  so  universal  were  bis  instruc- 
tions, nothing  material  has  been  added  by  way  of  improve- 
ment. When  the  sun  set  it  was  the  custom  of  this  being  to 
plunge  again  into  the  sea,  and  abide  all  night  in.  the  deep; 
for  he  was  amphibious. 

After  this  there  appeared  other  animals,  like  Cannes,  of 
which  Berosus  promises  to  give  an  account  when  he  comes 
to  the  history  of  the  king-s.  Moreover,  Cannes  wrote  con- 
cerning the  generation  of  mankind;  of  their  different  ways 
of  life,  and  of  their  civil  polity;  and  the  following  is  the 
purport  of  what  he  said : 

"  There  was  a  time  in  which  there  was  nothing  but  dark- 
ness and  an  abyss  of  waters,^  wherein  resided  most  hideous 
beings,  which  were  produced  of  a  two-fold  principle.  Men 
appeared  with  two  wings,  some  with  four  wings,  and  two 
faces.  They  bad  one  body,  but  two  heads  —  the  one  of  a 
man,  the  other  of  a  woman.  They  were  likewise,  in  their 
several  organs,  both  male  and  female.  Cther  human  figures 
were  to  be  seen  with  the  legs  and  boms  of  goats.  Some  had 
horses'  feet ;  others  had  the  limbs  of  a  horse  behind,  but 
before  were  fashioned  like  men,  resembling  hippocentaurs. 
Bulls,  likewise,  bred  there  with  the  heads  of  men;  and  dogs, 
with  fourfold  bodies,  and  the  tails  of  fishes.  Also  horses, 
with  tiie  heads  of  dogs;  men,  too,  and  other  animals,  with 
the  heads  and  bodies  of  horses  and  the  tails  of  fishes.  In 
short,  there  were  creatures  with  the  limbs  of  every  species 
of  animals.     Add  to  these  fishes,  reptiles,  serpents,  with  other 

*  Compare  with  Genesis  i.  2. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  21 

wonderful  animals,  which  assumed  each  other's  shape  and 
countenance.  Of  all  these  were  preserved  delineations  in  the 
temple  of  Belus  at  Babylon. 

"  The  person  who  was  supposed  to  have  presided  over 
them  was  a  woman  named  Omoroca  f  which  in  the  Chaldee 
language  is  Thalatth ;  which  in  Greek  is  interpreted  Thalassa, 
the  sea:  but,  according  to  the  most  true  computation,  it  is 
equivalent  to  Selene,  the  moon.  All  things  being  in  this 
situation,  Belus  came,  and  cut  the  woman  asunder ;  and,  out 
of  one  half  of  her,  he  formed  the  earth,  and  of  the  other  half 
the  heavens;  and  at  the  same  time  he  destroyed  the  animals 
in  the  abyss.  All  this,  he  says,  was  an  allegorical  descrip- 
tion of  nature.  For  the  whole  universe  consisting  of  mois- 
ture, and  animals  being  continually  generated  therein;  the 
deity  (Belus),  above-mentioned,  cut  off  his  own  head;  upon 
which  the  other  gods  mixed  the  blood,  as  it  gushed  out,  with 
the  earth;  and  from  thence  men  were  formed.  On  this  ac- 
count it  is  that  men  are  rational  and  partake  of  divine  knowl- 
edge. This  Belus,  whom  men  call  Dis,  or  Pluto,  divided  the 
darkness,  and  separated  the  heavens  from  the  earth,  and 
reduced  the  universe  to  order.  But  the  animals  so  recently 
created,  not  being  able  to  bear  the  prevalence  of  light,  died. 

"  Belus  upon  this,  seeing  a  vast  space  quite  uninhabited, 
though  by  nature  very  fruitful,  ordered  one  of  the  gods  to 
take  off  his  head;  and  when  it  was  taken  off,  they  were  to 
mix  the  blood  with  the  soil  of  the  earth,  and  from  thence  to 
form  other  men  and  animals,  which  would  be  capable  of  bear- 
ing the  light.  Belus  also  formed  the  stars,  and  the  sun  and 
the  moon,  together  with  the  five  planets." 

In  the  second  book  was  the  history  of  the  ten  kings  of  the 
Chaldeans,  and  the  periods  of  each  reign,  which  consisted 
collectively  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  sari,  or  432,000  years, 
reaching  to  the  time  of  the  Flood.  For  Alexander,  surnamed 
Polyhistor,  as  from  the  writings  of  the  Chaldeans,  enumerat- 
ing the  kings  from  the  ninth,  Ardates,  to  Xisuthrus,  who  is 
called  by  them  the  tenth,  proceeds  in  this  manner. 

s  This  is  a  Greek  corruption  of  the  Aramaic  word,  'Amgia,  i.e.,  "  the 
deep";   "the  ocean." 


2^  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

After  the  death  of  Ardates,  his  sou,  Xisuthrus,  succeeded, 
and  reigued  eighteen  sari.  In  his  time  happened  the  great 
deluge;  the  history  of  which  is  given  in  this  manner.  The 
deity,  Kronus,  appeared  to  him  in  a  vision,  and  gave  him 
notice  that,  upon  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  month  Dacsia,"*  there 
would  he  a  Hood,  by  which  mankind  would  be  destroyed.  He 
therefore  enjoined  him  to  commit  to  writing  a  history  of  the 
beginning,  progress,  and  final  conclusion  of  all  things,  down 
to  the  present  term;  and  to  bury  these  accounts  securely  in 
the  city  of  the  Sun  at  Sippara ;  and  to  build  a  vessel,  and  to 
take  with  him  into  it  his  friends  and  relations;  and  to 
convey  on  board  everything  necessary  to  sustain  life,  and  to 
take  in  also  all  species  of  animals  that  either  fly  or  rove  upon 
the  earth ;  and  trust  himself  to  the  deep.  Having  asked  the 
deity  whither  he  was  to  sail,  he  was  answered,  "  To  the 
gods  " ;  upon  which  he  offered  up  a  prayer  for  the  good  of 
mankind.  And  he  obeyed  the  divine  admonition:  and  built 
a  vessel  five  stadia  in  length,  and  in  breadth  two.  Into  this 
he  put  everything  which  he  had  got  ready;  and  last  of  all 
conveyed  into  it  his  wife,  children,  and  friends.  After  the 
flood  had  been  upon  the  earth,  and  was  in  time  abated, 
Xisuthrus  sent  out  some  birds  ^  from  the  vessel,  which,  not 
finding  any  food,  nor  any  place  to  rest  their  feet,  returned 
to  him  again.  After  an  interval  of  some  days  he  sent  them 
forth  a  second  time,  and  they  now  returned  with  their  feet 
tinged  with  mud.  He  made  a  trial  a  third  time  with  these 
birds,  but  they  returned  to  him  no  more;  from  whence  he 
formed  a  judgment  that  the  surface  of  the  earth  was  now 
above  the  waters.  Having,  therefore,  made  an  opening  in 
the  vessel,  and  finding,  upon  looking  out,  that  the  vessel  was 
driven  to  the  side  of  a  mountain,  he  immediately  quitted  it, 
being  attended  by  his  wife,  his  daughter,  and  the  pilot. 
XirfuthruH  immediately  paid  his  adoration  to  the  earth,  and, 
liaving  constructed  an  altar,  offered  sacrifices'^  to  the  gods. 

♦  Tlie  fiftli   month   of  the  Macedonian  year,  answering  to  May   and 
Juip. 

B  Compare  with  Genesis  viii.  7-12. 

•  See  (leneaia  viii.  20. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  23 

These  things  being  duly  performed,  both  Xisuthrus  and 
those  who  came  out  of  the  vessel  with  him  disappeared. 
They  who  remained  in  the  vessel,  finding  that  the  others  did 
not  return,  came  out,  with  many  lamentations,  and  called  con- 
tinually on  the  name  of  Xisuthrus.  They  saw  him  no  more, 
but  could  distingTiish  his  voice  in  the  air,  and  could  hear  him 
admonish  them  to  pay  due  regard  to  the  gods.  He  likewise 
informed  them  that  it  was  upon  account  of  his  piety  that  he 
was  translated  ^  to  live  with  the  gods ;  that  his  wife  and 
daughter,  with  the  pilot,  had  obtained  the  same  honor.  To 
this  he  added  that  he  would  have  them  make  the  best  of 
their  way  to  Babylonia,  and  search  for  the  writings  at  Sip- 
para,  which  were  to  be  made  known  to  all  mankind :  and  that 
the  place  where  they  then  were  was  the  land  of  Armenia.^ 
The  remainder,  having  heard  these  words,  offered  sacrifices 
to  the  gods;  and,  taking  a  circuit,  journeyed  toward  Baby- 
lonia. 

The  vessel,  being  thus  stranded  in  Amienia,  some  part  of 
it  yet  remains  in  the  Gordysean  ^  mountains  in  Armenia ;  and 
the  people  scrape  off  the  bitumen,  ^^  with  which  it  had  been 
outwardly  coated,  and  make  use  of  it  by  way  of  an  alexi- 
pharmic  ^^  and  amulet.  In  this  manner  they  returned  to 
Babylon ;  and  having  found  the  writings  at  Sippara,  they  set 
about  building  cities  and  erecting  temples :  and  Babylon  was 
thus  inhabited  again. —  Syncellus's  Chronicon. 

OF   THE   BABYLONIAN   AND   ASSYKIAN   KINGS 

In  addition  to  the  above,  Polyhistor  continues  thus :  After 
the  deluge,  says  he,  Evexius  held  possession  of  the  country 
of  the  Chaldeans  during  a  period  of  four  neri.  And  he  was 
succeeded  by  his  son,  Comosbelus,  who  held  the  empire  four 
neri  and  five  sossi.     But,  from  the  time  of  Xisuthrus  ^^  and 

7  Compare  with  this  the  translation  of  Enoch,  Genesis  v.  23,  24. 

8  Compare  with  Genesis  viii.  4.  Ararat  is  the  Hebrew  name  of  Ar- 
menia.    (See  2  Kings  xix.  37.) 

»The  mountains  of  Kurdistan. 

10  Or  mineral  pitch.     (See  Genesis  vi.  14.) 

11  I.e.,  an  antidote  to  poison,  and  an  amulet,  or  charm,  against  the 
evil  eye. 

12  Khasis-Adra. 


24  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

the  flood,  to  that  period  at  which  the  Medes  took  possession 
of  Babylon,  there  were  altogether  86  kings.  Polyhistor  enu- 
merates and  mentions  each  of  them  by  name,  from  the  volume 
of  Berosus ;  the  duration  of  the  reigns  of  all  of  which  kings 
comprehends  a  period  of  33,091  years.  But,  when  their 
power  was  thus  firmly  established,  the  Medes  suddenly  levied 
forces  against  Babylon  to  surprise  it,  and  to  place  upon  the 
throne  kings  chosen  from  among  themselves.  He  (Polyhis- 
tor) then  gives  the  names  of  the  Median  kings,  eight  in  num- 
ber, who  reigned  during  the  period  of  224  years ;  and,  again, 
eleven  kings  during  .  .  .^^  years.  Then  49  kings  of  the 
Chaldeans,  458  years.  Then  nine  kings  of  the  Arabians, 
245  years.  After  all  these  successive  periods  of  years, 
he  states  that  Semiramis  reigned  over  the  Assyrians.  And 
again  he  minutely  enumerates  the  names  of  45  kings,  assign- 
ing to  them  a  term  of  526  years.  After  whom,  he  says,  there 
was  a  king  of  the  Chaldeans  whose  name  was  Phulus,  of  whom 
also  the  historical  writings  of  the  Hebrews  make  mention 
under  the  name  of  Phulus  (Pul),  who,  they  say,  invaded  the 
country  of  the  Jews. —  Extracted  from  the  Armenian  Chroni- 
con  of  EusebiiLS. 

OF    SENNACHEKIB    AJ^D    HIS    SUCCESSOES 

And  after  him  (Pul),  according  to  Polyhistor,  Senna- 
cherib was  king. 

[The  Chaldean  historian  also  makes  mention  of  Senna- 
cherib himself,  and  Asordanus  (Esarhaddon)  his  son,  and 
^Marodach  Baladanus,  as  well  as  Nabuchodonosorus.]^'* 

And  Sinecherim  (Sennacherib)  reigned  18  years;  and 
after  him  his  son  (Esarhaddon)  reigned  eight  years.  Then 
Sammuges  (Saulmugina)  reigned  21  years,  and  likewise  his 
brother  21  years.  Then  Nabupalsar  (Nabopollassar) 
reigned  20  years;  and  after  him  Nabucodrossorus  (Nebu- 
chadrezzar) reigned  43  years. 

Therefore,  from  Sinecherim  to  Nabucodrossorus  is  com- 
l)rohpndcd  a  period  altogether  of  88  years.     After  Samuges, 

»■»  No  nvimbor  is  pivon  in  the  orij^inal  text. 
»«ThcHe  remarks,  within  brackets,  are  by  Eusebius. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  25 

Sardanapalus,  the  Chaldean,  reigned  21  years.  He  sent 
an  army  to  the  assistance  of  Astyages  the  Mede,  Prince  and 
Satrap  of  the  family,  that  he  might  give  Amimhean,^^  the 
daughter  of  Astyages,  to  his  son  Nabucodrossorus  (Nebu- 
chadrezzar). Then  jSTabucodrossorus  reigned  43  years,  and 
he  came  with  a  mighty  army,  and  led  the  Jews,  and  Pheni- 
cians,  and  Syrians  into  captivity.  And  after  Nabucodros- 
sorus,  his  son,  Amilmarudochus  (Evil-Merodach  —  man,  i.e.. 
Servant  of  Marduk)  reigned  12  years. 

And  after  him,  Neglisarus  (Xeriglissor)  reigned  over  the 
Chaldeans  4  years;  and  then  Nabodenus  (Nabonidus) 
reigned  17  years.  In  his  reign,  Cyrus,  the  son  of  Cambyses, 
invaded  the  country  of  the  Babylonians.  ISTabodenus  (Na- 
bonidus)  went  out  to  give  him  battle,  but  was  defeated,  and 
betook  himself  to  flight ;  and  Cyrus  reigned  at  Babylon  9 
years. —  Extracted  from  the  Armenian  Chronicon  of  Euse- 
bius. 

OF   THE   GEEAT   YEAR 

Berosus,  who  thus  interprets  the  Babylonian  tradition, 
says  that  these  events  take  place  according  to  the  course  of 
the  stars ;  and  he  affirms  it  so  positively  as  to  fix  the  time  for 
the  general  conflagration  of  the  world,  and  the  deluge.  He 
maintains  that  all  terrestrial  things  will  be  consumed  when 
the  planets,  which  now  are  traversing  their  different  courses, 
shall  all  coincide  in  the  sign  of  Cancer,  and  be  so  placed  that 
a  straight  line  could  pass  directly  through  all  their  orbs. 
But  the  flood  will  take  place,  he  says,  when  the  same  con- 
junction of  the  planets  shall  take  place  in  the  constellation 
Capricorn.  The  summer  is  in  the  former  constellation,  the 
winter  in  the  latter. —  From  Seneca,  Nat.  Qucest.  iii.  29. 

OF   THE    FEAST    OF   SACEA 

Berosus,  in  the  first  book  of  his  Babylonian  history,  says: 
That  in  the  eleventh  month,  called  Loos,^^  is  celebrated  in 
Babylon  the  Feast  of  Sacea,  for  five  days ;  in  which  it  is  the 
custom  that  the  masters  should  obey  their  domestics,  one  of 

15  Amytis. 

16  The  Macedonian  month  Loos  answers  to  our  July. 


^6  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

whom  is  led  round  the  house,  clothed  iu  a  royal  garment, 
and  him  they  call  Zoganes. —  Extracted  from  AthencBUS. 

CONCERNING    THE    TOWER    OF    BABEL,    AND   ABRAHAM 

The  city  of  Babylon  owes  its  foundation  to  those  who  were 
saved  from  the  catastrophe  of  the  flood ;  these  were  the  giants, 
and  they  built  the  tower  which  is  noticed  in  history.  But 
the  tower  being  overthrown  by  the  interposition  of  God,  the 
giants  were  scattered  over  all  the  earth. 

He  ^^  says,  moreover,  that  in  the  tenth  generation,  in  the 
city  of  Babylonia,  called  Camarina  (which,  by  some,  is  called 
the  city  Urie,  and  which  signifies  a  city  of  the  Chaldeans), 
there  lived,  the  thirteenth  in  descent,  a  man  named  Abraham, 
a  man  of  a  noble  race  and  superior  to  all  others  in  wisdom. 

Of  him  they  relate  that  he  was  the  inventor  of  astrology 
and  the  Chaldean  magic,  and  that  on  account  of  his  eminent 
piety  he  was  esteemed  by  God.  It  is  further  said  that  under 
the  directions  of  God  he  removed  and  lived  in  Phenicia,  and 
there  taught  the  Phenicians  the  motions  of  the  sun  and  moon, 
and  all  other  things ;  for  which  reason  he  was  held  in  great 
reverence  by  their  king.^^ 

OF    SAEDANAPALUS 

Xabopollasar,  whom  Alexander  Polyhistor  calls  Sardan- 
apalus,  sent  to  Astyagcs,  the  satrap  of  Media,  and  demanded 
his  daughter,  Amuites,^^  in  marriage  for  his  son,  Xabucho- 
donosor  (Nebuchadrezzar).  He  was  the  commander  of  the 
anny  of  Saracus,  King  of  the  Chaldeans,  and,  having  been 
sent  upon  some  expedition,  turned  his  arms  against  Saracus, 
and  marched  against  the  city  of  Xinus  (Xineveh).  But 
Saracus,  confused  by  his  approach,  set  fire  to  his  palace,  and 
burnt  himself  in  it.  And  Xabopollasar  obtained  the  empire 
of  the  Chaldeans.  He  w^as  the  father  of  Xabuchodonosor 
(Xebuchadrezzar). —  From  the  Chronicon  of  Eusehius. 

"  This  "  he "  ia  prohal)Iy  not  Berosus,  but  the  Greek  author 
F.wp«il«nuis 

"*  Ahimcloch,  Kinj?  of  Gcrar. 
»»  Amjtis. 


THE  SUMEETAiq'  TEXTS 
(4000-2100  B.C.) 


EARTH'S  OLDEST  LANGUAGE 


"  A  word  of  cursing  he  repeated/^ 

—  THE  LOCUST  CHAEM,  EARTH'S  OLDEST  TEXT. 

"At  that  time  Ziugiddu  was  king. 
In  humility  prostrating  himself. 
Daily  and  perseveringly  standing  in  attendance." 

—  (A  Description  of  the  Sumerian  Noah,  the  First  Good  Man.) 

"2'hat  which  midnight  hath  brought  unto  me,  its  meaning  I 
understand  not." 

—  KING  GUDEA'S  DREAM. 


EAETH'S  OLDEST  LANGUAGE 

(INTRODUCTION) 

SUMEKIAiSr,  as  already  explained,  is  the  oldest  of  the 
four  languages  found  among  the  ruins  of  the  Euphrates 
valley.  So  old  is  it  that  the  earliest  glimpses  of  history 
which  we  have  rescued  from  oblivion  show  us  only  the  decay 
and  downfall  of  the  ancient  Sumerian  cities.  These  were 
spread  along  the  banks  of  the  lower  Euphrates  and  the  sea- 
coast  at  its  mouth.  We  find  them  fighting  through  the  cen- 
turies in  a  valiant  but  gradually  weakening  struggle  against 
the  Akkadian  people  of  the  upper  Euphrates.  Among  the 
last  of  the  cities  of  the  Sumerians  to  hold  military  power  was 
Lagash,  and  their  last  great  religious  city  was  Kippur,  the 
gods  of  which  continued  to  be  worshiped  even  by  the  Ak- 
kadians long  after  all  political  supremacy  had  been  lost  to 
the  Sumerians  forever.  The  two  cities  of  Lagash  and  Nip- 
pur have  been  carefully  unearthed,  and  much  of  our  knowl- 
edge of  Sumerian  comes  from  their  rediscovered  inscrip- 
tions. 

Even  more  of  our  present  Sumerian  knowledge  is  due  to 
Ashur-banipal's  great  Assyrian  library.  Many  texts  have 
been  found  there  written  in  the  old  Sumerian  or  religious 
langTiage,  just  as  our  own  printing-presses  still  occasionally 
issue  Greek  and  Hebrew  texts.  In  columns  by  the  side  of 
the  Sumerian,  the  scribes  of  Ashur-banipal  wrote  its  Assyrian 
translation. 

This  interesting  old  scholar-king,  speaking  of  himself  in 
one  of  his  volumes,  says,  "  Among  the  craftsmen  I  busied 
myself ;  the  counsel  and  wisdom  of  the  heavens  with  the  wise 
masters  I  solved.  I  read  the  dreadful  mysteries  which  should 
not  be  revealed.  To  translate  into  Akkadian  the  skilfully 
made  tablets  which  were  obscure  in  Sumerian,  I  was  rest- 

29 


30  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

less."  The  Sumerian  of  the  later  days  is  thus  presented 
to  us  as  a  "  dead  language/'  studied  by  the  Babylonian  and 
Assyrian  priesthood.  But  when  we  unearth  its  remnants  in 
Lagash  and  Nippur  we  find  its  earlier  and  living  form,  in 
which  both  the  writing  and  its  meaning  change,  as  all  living 
languages  change  with  the  passing  centuries. 

The  first  inscription  given  in  this  section  of  our  volume 
is  among  the  oldest,  and  probably  the  very  oldest,  yet  found. 
It  was  purchased  from  a  modern  Arab,  and  hence  we  do 
not  know  from  what  old  Sumerian  city  it  was  unearthed,  but 
its  writing  is  of  a  very  early  type,  a  picture-writing  in  which 
the  pictures  are  still  drawn  with  enough  clearness  to  be  rec- 
ognized. In  our  volume  we  have  throughout  employed  the 
chronology  regarded  as  probable  by  our  most  recent  authori- 
ties; and  these  have  much  reduced  the  reckoning  of  years 
which  was  accepted  a  decade  ago.  Yet  even  our  latest  schol- 
ars say  of  this  tablet  that  it  is  about  six  thousand  years  old 
(4000  B.C.),  and  the  reckoners  of  the  last  decade  would  un- 
hesitatingly have  added  to  this  another  two  thousand 
years. 

At  this  period,  then,  man  makes  his  first  appearance  in 
surviving  literature.  How  and  upon  what  is  he  found  em- 
ployed at  this  our  earliest  glimpse  within  his  heart  ?  What 
is  his  line  of  thought;  what  the  level  of  his  intellect  in  this 
opening  record  of  his  exceedingly  busy  and  energetic  ca- 
reer ?  We  meet  in  this  brief  account  two  kinds  of  men :  a 
group  of  farmers  and  a  priest.  The  fields  are  affected  by 
a  plague  of  locusts,  and  their  owners  seek  a  priest,  or  ma- 
gician, who  drives  the  locusts  away  by  a  charaa.  It  is  a 
business  transaction ;  careful  note  is  made  of  the  number  of 
fields  cleared  for  each  owner,  and  of  the  price  to  be  paid  — 
a  curious  price,  "  a  tall  palm-tree."  Yet  in  a  way  is  it  not 
as  human  as  it  is  ancient,  this  medley  of  superstition  and 
religion,  of  business  and  agriculture,  with  the  plaguy  lo- 
custs and  caterpillars  behind  ? 

No  names  can  be  attached  to  this  first  record.  The  earli- 
est name  that  looms  up  to  ua  from  the  darkness  is  of  later 
date ;  our  estimate  says  of  about  3250  b.c.     It  is  the  name 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  31 

of  a  victorious  Akkadian  king,  Mesilim,  who  had  so  far  con- 
quered Sumer,  and  had  been  so  far  conquered  by  its  gTcater 
culture  and  religion,  that  he  sends  a  boastful  ottering  to  the 
temple  of  Lagash.  It  is  a  rather  remarkable  stone  mace-head 
of  colossal  size,  far  too  large  for  human  use  and  apparently 
intended  so  that  the  god  of  the  city,  Nin-gursu,  could  employ 
it  himself.  The  stone  is  carved  with  a  circle  of  six  lions 
each  attacking  the  one  before  him,  and  over  them,  on  the  end 
of  the  mace,  is  a  carved  eagle.  The  brief  inscription  runs : 
"  Mesilim,  King  of  Kish,  builder  of  the  temple  of  Xin- 
gursu,  deposited  this  mace-head  for  Nin-gursu,  while  Lugal- 
shag-engair  was  priest-king  of  Lagash." 

Of  course  this  might  mean  merely  that  Mesilim  had  built 
in  his  own  Akkadian  city  a  temple  to  Nin-gursu,  and  wished 
to  proclaim  this  generosity  at  the  god's  chief  shrine.  A 
"  priest-king,"  however,  was  frequently  subordinate  to  some 
larger  ruler,  and  the  probable  case  is  that  Mesilim  held  sway 
over  Lagash  and  was  engaged,  as  we  shall  find  many  a  later 
Akkadian  conqueror,  in  rebuilding  the  ancient  temple,  which 
either  time  or  his  own  destructive  assault  had  reduced  to 
ruin.  These  Babylonian  temples  and  towers  were  built  of 
brick  and  were  forever  crumbling. 

Our  second  text  is  the  first  lengthy  one  surviving.  It 
dates  from  about  Mesilim's  time,  or  perhaps  from  a  genera- 
tion later,  when  Lagash  had  again  asserted  its  independence. 
Its  king,  Enkhegal,  is  no  longer  a  mere  priest-king ;  the  text 
calls  him  a  "  subduer  "  and  "  the  uniter  of  the  land."  It 
also  speaks  of  his  building  or  improving  canals ;  so  the  land 
was  already  extensively  farmed,  scientifically  irrigated.  We 
note  also  that  many  ways  of  irrigation  were  used,  by  oxen, 
by  rain,  etc.,  that  grain  had  a  "  royal  standard  of  purity," 
that  bronze  was  used  for  money,  and  so  on.  We  have  stum- 
bled on  a  complex  civilization. 

After  this  the  surviving  records  become  more  numerous. 
They  are  chiefly  royal  inscriptions  from  Lagash.  King 
Ur-nina,  who  ruled  about  3000  B.C.,  left  several  offerings  to 
the  god  Nin-gursu.  So  did  Uru-kagina,  who  is  perhaps  the 
most  interesting  of  these  early  rulers;  for  we  find  that  he 


32  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

was  a  reformer,  upraised  apparently  by  a  revolt  of  the  poor. 
Following  down  the  line  of  the  kings  of  Lagash,  we  come 
at  last  to  Gudea,  who,  about  2500  e.g.,  is  content  once  more 
to  call  himself  merely  a  priest-king.  The  inscriptions  of 
Gudea  are  the  first  to  extend  beyond  the  very  barren  outlines 
of  his  predecessors.  There  is  a  moral  tone  in  all  he  says. 
His  very  noted  inscriptions  boast  not  only  of  conquering  and 
building,  but  of  dealing  out  justice,  enforcing  law,  and  shel- 
tering the  weak.  Two  of  Gudea's  prayers  have  also  come 
down  to  us.  They  are  parts  of  a  remarkable  narrative  writ- 
ten down,  upon  a  clay  cylinder,  apparently  by  the  king's 
own  order.  The  tale  is  now  known  as  "  Gudea's  Dream," 
and  is  by  far  the  most  striking  literary  piece  preserved  from 
the  old  Sumerian.  From  it  we  can  begin  to  form  a  clear 
conception  of  the  religious  thought  of  Babylonia. 

Xext  we  come  upon  a  still  more  important  fragment,  the 
oldest  of  the  several  Babylonian  versions  of  the  creation. 
We  can  not  date  this  exactly ;  but  it  is  Sumerian,  and  while 
our  present  text  comes  from  Nippur,  the  story  is  clearly  the 
retelling  of  a  much  more  ancient  tale  from  a  time  when 
Lagash  surely,  and  Nippur  perhaps,  were  unknown.  Neither 
of  them  is  mentioned  as  one  of  the  originally  created  cities, 
though  the  translator  thinks  Nippur  must  have  been  named 
in  some  lost  fragment.  The  oldest  place  is  given  to  Eridu, 
the  ancient  sea-coast  city  of  Berosus's  legend  of  the  fish-god. 
As  this  old  text  is  so  important,  and  also  unfortunately  so 
badly  broken,  we  print  with  it  the  explanation  of  its  contents 
bv  its  recent  discoverer. 

Two  other  versions  of  the  creation-legend  are  also  given ; 
but  these  are  Sumerian  texts  preserved  from  Ashur-banipal's 
library,  and  may  have  been  modified  by  later  ideas.  One 
of  them,  indeed,  bodily  substitutes  Marduk,  the  great  god  of 
Babylon,  for  some  earlier  god,  as  being  the  chief  creator. 
Hence,  those  texts  do  not  hold  the  same  positive  antiquity 
as  the  proooding. 

Tiie  "  Cluinns  against  Evil  Spirits,"  with  which  this  sec- 
tion closes,  are  also  the  transcribed  Sumerian  of  a  later  age. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  33 

The  old  charms  were  presumably  kept  in  their  Sumerian 
form  from  a  belief  that  the  mere  words  themselves  had  a 
power  over  evil  spirits,  just  as  astrology  still  seeks  in  He- 
brew or  in  Arabic  the  "  ineffable  name "  of  magical  com- 
mand. Hence  this  section,  which  began  with  superstition, 
must  also  close  with  it.  The  venerable  Sumerian  tongue, 
after  an  active  employment  of  uncounted  thousands  of  years, 
faded  in  its  final  usage  into  a  mere  hocus-pocus  of  enchant- 
ment. 


VOL.  I.— 3. 


34  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


EARTH'S  OLDEST  LANGUAGE 


THE  LOCUST  CHARM  ' 

(EARTH'S  OLDEST  TEXT) 

SuMERiAN  Words  Translation  ^ 

COLUMN  I 

I  BUR    GAN    HI-GlN-         1  bur  of  land  belonging  to 
MI-SAL  Khiginmi-Sal. 

USU  MUL  E  3  At   sunset   the   locusts   he 

drove  out, 
SA-NE  GIN  their  curse  he  established, 

KIN  he  removed 

5  MUD  ^  5  the  terror. 

COLUMN  II 

III  BUR  SAL-A-DU  3  bur  belonging  to  Saladu ; 

II  BUR     GURIN     KI         2  bur  of  fruit-land  belong- 
NUN-SA-BAR  ing  to  Nunsabar ; 

1  The  tablet  records  the  means  taken  to  rid  various  tracts  of  land 
of  a  pla}^ue  of  locusts  and  caterpillars.  The  last  line,  "  he  made  it 
briglit,"  refers  to  the  ceremonial  purification  of  the  field. 

2  The  Sumerian  words  are  given  here  because  their  great  antiquity 
lends  them  a  special  interest.  This  and  the  following  translation  are 
rt'printed,  by  permission,  from  the  translation  by  Prof.  G.  A.  Barton 
in  Vol.  IX  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  publications  of  the  Baby- 
lonian section. 

3('oltimn  I,  case  2,  contains  two  new  pictographs:  the  sun  entering 
its  subterranean  passage,  and  a  locust.  Column  I,  the  edge,  presents 
a  new  an<l  difli<ult  sign.  It  is  a  kind  of  helmet  with  a  cape  at  the 
back,  in  tiie  manner  of  a  modern  Arab  kafiyth.  Two  signs  were  previ- 
ously known  which  had  descended  from  a  somewhat  similar  head-dress, 
though  ni'ithcr  of  tliom  indicated  so  complex  a  picture.  I  have  inter- 
preted til  is  new  picture  by  one  of  these. 

♦  Column  I,  5,  contains  the  most  complete  picture  of  a  bird  and  egg 
yet  found.  Tlie  oldest  form  previously  known  lacked  the  bill  of  the 
bird,  so  graphicnlly  pictured  here. 


THE  OLDEST  WRITING  IN  THE   WORLD. 

The  Sumerian  Stme  Tablet  containing  the  Locust  Charm. 

(See  text.) 


/■I 


(LU)   AU'V 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST 


35 


SuMERiAN  Words 


Translation 


V  BUK 

GAN   UDU-SAG 
DUQ-QA  TAE 


GUB   TAR 
DUG  5 

AS  TAB 


5  hur 
US         of  land  belonging  to  Udu- 
sag;    the   man    broke   a 
jar, 
NISAG     5  he   stood,   he   cut   open   a 
sacrifice,  a  word 
of  cursing  he  repeated ; 

COLUMN  III 


E  ...  HI 
A-UHU-A« 

II  BUR  GAN  AZAG 

EN-NE 

SAM  AZAG  SAG  GID  ^ 

III  BUR  SAG  .  .  . 
DUMU  NUN-DU-DU 
NISAG 

SER 


it  went  out  .  .  .  verily 
against  the  caterpillars. 

2  bur  of  land  were  puri- 
fied 

belonging  to  Enne ; 
5  the  price  of  purification  is 
a  tall  palm-tree. 

3  bur  of  a  field  belonging 
to  ...  ,  son  of  Nun- 
dudu;  he  offered  a  sac- 
rifice, 

he  made  it  bright. 


5  Columns  II,  5,  and  III,  6,  contain  the  only  pictures  of  hour-glass- 
shaped  altars  with  a  fire  burning  on  the  top  that  have  yet  been  found 
in  Babylonian  writing.  Such  altars  are  frequently  pictured  on  the 
seals. 

6  Column  III,  case  2,  contains  a  rude  picture  of  a  caterpillar.  It 
affords  the  explanation  of  a  sign,  the  origin  of  which  had  long  puzzled 
scholars.  The  sign  means  "  worm,"  "  vermin,"  "  flea,"  etc.,  and  the 
early  forms  are  clearly  derivable  from  this  picture. 

7  Coliunn  III,  case  5,  contains  an  older  picture  of  a  palm-tree  grow- 
ing out  of  irrigated  land  and  blowing  in  the  wind  than  any  previously 
known. 


36 


THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


A  PURCHASE  OF  LAND 

(INSCRIPTION  OF  ENKHEGAL,  KING  OF  LAGASH) 


SuMERiAN  Words 

COLUMN  I 

XXXIII  BUR  GAX 
XXII  URUDU  MA-XA 
XX  SE  SIG 


Translation 


X  ZIZ  SIG 

5  GAN  EX-HE-GAL-SU 
LUGAL  PUR-SIR- 
LA 

VII  BUR  GAX 

XII  URUDU  MA-XA  ^ 


33  burs  of  land ; 

22  manas  of  bronze ; 

20     gurs     of     winnowed 

grain; 
10  gurs  of  cleansed  ziz- 

plant ; 
5  a     field     for     Enkhegal, 

King  of  Lagash. 

7  hurs  of  land ; 

12  manas  of  bronze; 


COLUMN  II 


20  gurs  of  wr-plant; 

2     gurs     of     winnowed 

grain 
of  the  royal  standard  of 

purity  — 
a  rain-prepared  field; 
5  11    bws    of    unimproved 

land, 
5  manas  of  bronze; 
111/2   gurs   of   winnowed 

grain  — 

1  A  few  points  of  poiipral  intprost  can  he  noted.  The  reader  will 
ohBcrve  that  at  this  early  time  it  made  no  difference  in  what  order 
the  syllahles  of  a  word  were  written,  provided  they  were  all  put  down. 
Mana.  for  example,  is  somotimefl  spelled  ma-na,  and  sometimes  na-ma. 
A  similar  freedom  was  exeroisi>d  in  the  order  of  the  sentences.  The 
phrase,  "  of  the  royal  standard  of  purity,"  is  sometimes  far  removed 
from  the  grain  to  which  it  applies. 


XX  UR-SAM 
II  SE  SIG 

DU-SIG-LUGAL 

GAX-X-RU 

XI  BUR  GAN-KI 

V  URUDU  MA-XA 
XI  MAS  SE  SIG 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST 


37 


SUMEKIAN    WOKDS 


Translation 


GAN        SAM-SUKUM- 

a    field    of    sfiukum-me- 

ME 

plants 

EN-HE-GAL-SU       LU- 

for    Enkhegal,    King    of 

GAL  PUR-SIR-LA 

Lagash  — 

10  DU-SIG-LUGAL 

10 

of  the  royal  standard  of 
purity. 

COLUMN  III 

VIII  BUR  GAN 

8  hurs  of  land ; 

IIBAL 

2  hurs  of  plowed  land ; 

XI  GAB-SE  SIG 

11  gurs  of  winnowed 
^a6-grain ; 

X  MAS  SE  SIG 

101^  gurs  of  winnowed 
gi'ain ; 

5  EN-HE-GAL  LUGAL 

5 

for  Enkhegal,  the  King, 

KAS  E-KI 

improver  of  the  land's  ir- 
rigation, 

LAL-KI 

uniter  of  the  land, 

LUGAL      NIM      GIN 

the   exalted   King,    chief 

SAG  LAL 

counselor,  the  subduer. 

MAS  NUN  BAR  NIG- 

princely      leader,      great 

GU 

lord. 

10  XXX    LAL    II    BUR 

10 

28  hurs  of  land; 

GAN 

XII  URUDU  MA-NA 

12  manas  of  bronze; 

COLUMN  IV 

XL  SE  SIG 

40  gurs  of  winnowed 
grain; 

XX  LAL  I  BUR  GAN 

19  hurs  of  land ; 

IVCXX    URUDU    NA- 

420  manas  of  bronze; 

MA 
X  MAS  SE  SIG 

5  IV  BUR  LUGAL-KI 
III    BUR    LUGAL-KI 
KUR  GIS-RU 


10^2  5'^^s  of  winnowed 
grain; 
5  4  hurs  of  royal  land; 

3  hurs  of  royal  land,  cap- 
tured from  Umma, 


38 


THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


SuMEBiAN  Words 

BAR   SIL   GIS-GISIM- 

MAR 
GU-GAN  ZUR-KI 

EN-HE-GAL 
10  LUGAL  BUR-STR-LA 
XIV  BUR  GAN 
VICII     URUDU     MA- 

NA 


10 


Tkanslation 

bordering  on  the  old 
palm-trees 

of  Gu-edin,  the  cher- 
ished land 

of  Enkhegal, 

King  of  Lagash. 

14  burs  of  land ; 

602  manas  of  bronze ; 


COLUMN  V 


II  SE  SIG 


of 


wmn 


owed 


BAD-GIS-GI 
SIS  IB-KURUN 
GIRIX  GAL 
5  X  BUR  GAX 

lie  URUDU  MA-XA 
II  SE  SIG 

GAX-A-US 

MAS  XUX  BAR  XIG- 

GU 
10  SIS  SID-MAL-RU  AP- 

IX 
LUGAL      XIM      GIX 

SAG  LAL 

KAT  .  .  .  LUGAL 


10 


z     gurs 

gi'ain ; 
of  Badgishgi, 
brother  of  Ibkurun. 
A  large  enclosure: 
10  burs  of  land ; 
200  manas  of  bronze ; 
2      gurs     of      winnowed 

grain ; 
for  Ganaush, 
princely     leader,     great 

lord, 
brother     of     Shidmal-ni, 

the  shepherd,^ 

the  exalted  King,  chief 

counselor,      the      sub- 

duer. 


2  Two  or  three  points  of  historical  interest  may  be  noted.  Shid- 
mal-ru,  who  ia  described  in  Column  V,  10,  as  "  the  shepherd,  the  ex- 
alted king,"  was  apparently  a  predecessor  of  Enkhegal.  It  is  hia 
brother  whose  purchase  of  land  is  recorded  in  this  tablet.  I  have 
tentatively  read  in  Column  IV,  6,  the  name  of  the  city  Umma,  which 
was  a  near  neighbor  of  Lagash,  with  which  she  was  often  at  war. 
Umma,  in  later  texts,  is  spelled  by  the  picture  of  a  bow  and  arrow 
held  in  the  hand,  and  this  name  by  the  picture  of  a  bow  alone,  but 
the  reference  is  probably  to  the  same  city  in  each  case. 

Again  in  Column   IV.  8,  a  field  is  described  as  gu-gan,  "bank  of  the 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST 


39 


SuMEEiAN  Words 

VIII  BUR  GAN 
CLXXX  SE  SIG 


GAN  PAR-A-GAB-ES 
CLX  SIG  SE  APIN 

5  MAS  NUN  BAR  NIG- 
GU 
DU-SIG-LUGAL 

XXI   BUR   GAN   NIG 

UD-DU 
GUD  GAN 
CXL  URUDU  MA-NA 


Tkanslation 


COLUMN  VI 


8  burs  of  land ; 

180  gurs  of  winnowed 
grain  — 

a  field  of  Paragabes, 

160  gws  of  winnowed 
grain,  the  shepherd, 

princely  leader,  gTeat 
lord  — 

of  the  royal  standard  of 
purity. 

21  burs  of  land,  belong- 
ing to  Uddu, 

an  ox-irrigated  field, 

140  manas  of  bronze. 


10 


10 


COLUMN  VII 


X  BUR  GAN 

A-SA 
VICXXXVI 

NA-MA 
MAS-APIN 


URUDU 


5  III  BUR  URU-MUS 
ICXX     URUDU     MA- 
NA 
MAS  APIN 

GAN  BUR-SIR-LA 


10  burs  of  land, 

a  field. 

636  manas  of  bronze, 

for  the  leader,  the  shep- 
herd, 
5  3  burs  LT^rumush. 
120  manas  of  bronze 

for  the  leader,  the  shep- 
herd 
of  the  field  of  Lagash, 


field."  I  take  this  to  be  a  variant  description  of  the  field  called  in 
later  texts  gu-edin,  "bank  of  the  plain."  It  was  a  field  which  lay 
between  Umma  and  Lagash,  over  which  the  two  cities  frequently 
fought.  It  was  because  the  men  of  Umma  invaded  this  plain  that 
Ennatura,  a  later  king  of  Lagash,  undertook  the  war  which  is  cele- 
brated in  the  famous  stela  of  Vultures,  most  of  whicli  is  preserved  in 
the  Louvre,  though  one  fragment  of  it  is  in  the  British  Museum. 
The  reader  will  notice  that,  along  with  grain,  bronze  was  used  as 


40  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

SuMERiAN  Words  Translation 

REVERSE  I 

AN-GU-ZI  Anguzi. 

VICXC  BUK  GAN  690  burs  of  land ; 

XXXVIIICX   URUDU  3810  manas  of  bronze ; 

MA-NA 

XXI  MAS  SE  SIG  211/2   gurs  of  winnowed 

grain, 

5  II  BUR  BAL  5  2  burs  of  plowed  land; 

GAN-SAM  land  purchased 

REVERSE  II 

LUGAL-KI-GAL-LA  for  Lugalkigalla, 

ISIB  NIN-GIR-SU  priest  of  Ningirsu. 

GAN-NIG  Real  estate  holdings.^ 

a  medium  of  exchange.  Apparently  at  this  early  time  the  use  of 
silver  or  gold  for  this  purpose  had  not  begun.  We  begin  to  trace  their 
use  in  the  reign  of  Ur-Nina  and  his  successors,  though  bronze  was 
sometimes  employed  for  a  long  time  afterward.  In  Egypt  bronze  was 
used  as  a  medium  of  exchange  much  longer  than  it  was  in  Babylonia. 
3  The  last  line  is  the  name  of  the  account.  It  designates  the  kind 
of  account  to  which  the  table  belongs.  Similar  names  are  found  in 
the  accounts  of  later  time. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  41 


THE  ROYAL  INSCRIPTIONS  OF  LAGASH 

I.     The  Insceiptions  of  King  Ue-Nina 

No.  1 

COLUMN  I 
Nina-ur 
King 

of  Lagash, 
son  of  Nini-ghal-gin, 
5  the  temple  of  the  god  Ningirsu 
has  erected. 
The  Ih-gal 
he  has  erected. 

The  temple  of  the  goddess  Nina 
10  he  has  erected. 

COLUMN  II 

The  Sig-nir 
he  has  erected. 
His  tower  in  stages 
he  has  erected. 
5  The  temple  of  E  .  .  . 
he  has  erected. 
The  temple  of  E-ghud 
he  has  erected. 
His  observatory 
10  he  has  erected. 

COLUMN  in 
The  palace  of  the  Ti-ash-ra 
he  has  erected. 

The  temple  of  the  goddess  Gatumdug 
he  has  erected. 


42  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

5  The  great  apzu  ^ 
he  has  constructed. 
After  that  the  temple  of  Ningirsu 
he  has  caused  to  be  erected 
seventy  great  measures  of  corn 
10  in  his  house  of  fruits 

COLUMN  IV 

he  has  stored  up. 
From  Magan  ^  the  mountain 
all  sorts  of  wood  he  has  imported. 
The  wall  of  Lagash 
5  he  has  built. 
The  small  apzu 
he  has  constructed; 

COLUJ^IN  V 
in  the  temple 

of  the  goddess  Xina,  lady  of  destinies, 
he  has  placed  it. 
Two  statues  he  has  set  up ; 
5  these  two  statues  .  .  . 


No.  2 

COLUMN  I 
Kina-ur 
the  King 
of  Lagash, 

son  of  Nini-ghal-gin, 
the  habitation  of  Girsu 

COLLTMN  II 

baa  constructed. 

The  bricks  of  the  foundation 


1  1  he  «/)Cw,  or  "  d('c|i,"  was  the  basin   for  |)urification  Hftacliod  to  a 
Balnlnninn   femiile.  corrrspniulinp  fo   tlie  "sea"  of  Solomon. 

2  Thr  Sinaitic  Peninsula,  perhapn  iiuliuling  Midian. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  48 

II.     Inscriptions  of  Uku-K!agina 
No.  1 

COLUMN  I 

For  the  god  Ningirsu 
the  warrior  of  the  god  Enlil, 
Uru-Kagiua, 
the  King 
5  of  Lagash, 
his  temple 
has  constructed. 
His  palace  of  Ti-ra-ash 
he  has  constructed. 

COLUMN  II 

The  an-ta-shur-ra 
he  has  constructed. 
The  E-gish-me-ra 

in  order  to  be  the  E-ne-hl  of  the  countries 
5  he  has  constructed. 

The  house  of  fruits  which  produces  abundance  in  the 

country 
he  has  constructed. 
For  the  god  Dun-shagana 
his  habitation  of  Akkil 

COLUMN  III 

he  has  constructed. 
For  the  god  Gal-aliimna 
the  temple  of  E-me-gal-ghush-an-ki 
he  has  constructed. 
5  The  temple  of  the  goddess  Bau  ^ 
he  has  constructed. 

3  Bau  is  probably  the  Baau  of  Phenician  mythology,  whose  name  was 
interpreted  "  the  night,"  and  who  was  supposed  along  with  her  husband 
Kolpia,  "  the  wind,"  to  have  produced  the  first  generation  of  men.  ^The 
word  has  been  compared  with  the  Hebrew  hohu,  translated  "void"  in 
Genesis  i.  2. 


44  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

For  the  god  Enlil 
the  temple  of  E-adda/ 
his  im-sag-ga, 

COLUMN  IV 

he  has  constructed. 
The  Bur-sag, 

his  temple  which  rises  to  the  entrance  of  heaven, 
he  has  constructed. 
5  Of  Uru-Kagina, 
the  King 
of  Lagash, 

who  the  temple  of  E-ninnu 
has  constructed, 
10  his  god 

COLUMN  V 

is  the  god  Ninshagh.^ 
For  the  life  of  the  King 
during  the  long  days  to  come 
before  the  god  Ningirsu 
5  may  he  (Ninshagh)  bow  down  his  face! 

No.  2 

ON  A  BUTTRESS 

For  the  god  Ningirsu, 
the  warrior 
of  the  god  Enlil, 
Uru-Kagina, 
5  the  King 
of  Lagash, 
the  Anta-Shurra, 

the  house  of  abundance  of  his  country, 
has  constructed. 
10  His  palace  of  Ti-ra-ash 

«"The  temple  of  the  father." 
5  Or  Nin-dun. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  45 

he  has  constructed. 

[Lines  12  and  13  are  destroyed.] 
For  the  god  Gal-alimma 

[Lines  15-21  are  destroyed.] 

he  has  constructed. 

For  the  god  Nin-sar, 

the  bearer  of  the  sword 
25  of  the  god  Ningirsu, 

his  temple 

he  has  constructed. 

For  the  god  .  .  .  -gir 

the  well-beloved  .  .  . 
30  of  the  god  Ningirsu 

his  temple 

he  has  constructed. 

The  Bur-sag, 

his  temple  which  rises  to  the  entrance  of  heaven, 
35  he  has  constructed. 

For  the  god  Enlil 

the  temple  of  E-adda,*^ 

his  im-sag-ga, 

he  has  constructed. 
40  For  the  god  Ningirsu 

the  sanctuary 

of  E-melam-kurra '^ 

he  has  constructed. 

The  temple  wherein  dwells  the  god  Ningirsu 
45  he  has  constructed. 

Of  Uru-F[agina, 

who  the  temple 

of  the  god  Ningirsu  .  .  . 

[The  inscription  breaks  off  here,  having  never  been  finished.] 

6  "  The  temple  of  the  father." 

f  "  The  temple  of  the  brilliance  of  the  eastern  mountain." 


46  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

No.  3 

ON  A  CYLINDER 

COLUMN  I 

[The  first  lines  are  lost.] 
Uru-Kagina, 
the  King 
of  Girsu-ki, 
the  Antorsliurra, 
5  the  house  of  abundance  of  his  country, 
his  palace  of  Ti-ra-ash, 
has  constructed. 
The  temple  of  the  goddess  Bau 
he  has  constructed. 


.5 


COLUMN  II 

[The  first  lines  are  lost.] 
he  has  constructed. 
For  the  god  Dun-shagana 
his  habitation  of  Akkil 
he  has  constructed. 
For  the  god  .  .  . 
his  tablet-like  amulets  ^ 
and  his  temple  he  has  made. 
In  the  middle  of  this  temple 
for  the  god  Za-za-uni, 
10  for  the  god  Tm-ghud-cn, 
for  the  god  Gim-nun-ta-en-a 
temples  he  has  built  for  them. 
For  the  god  Nin-sar 


«  Possibly  tlie  small  tablets  of  white  or  black  atone  buried  under  the 
foundations  of  the  tomploa.  These  tablets  were  sometimes  of  metal; 
tho^r•,  for  example,  discovered  at  Khorsabad.  It  seems  that  some  con- 
sisted also  of  ivory  and  precious  wood. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  47 

COLUMN  III 

[The  first  lines  are  lost.] 
Eor  the  god  Enlil 

the  temple  of  E-adda,  his  im-sagga, 
he  has  constructed. 
For  the  goddess  Nina, 
5  her  favorite  river, 
the  canal  Nina-ki-tum-a 
he  has  excavated. 
At  the  mouth  of  the  canal,  an  edifice.  .  .  . 

[Fragments  of  four  other  columns  remain.] 

III.     Inscriptions  of  Uk-Bau 
No.  1 

ON  A  STATUE 

COLUMN  I 

To  the  god  Ningirsu 
the  powerful  warrior 
of  the  god  Enlil, 
Ur-Bau 
5  the  patesi  ^ 
of  Lagash, 

the  offspring  begotten 
by  the  god  Nin-agal, 

chosen  by  the  immutable  will  of  the  goddess  Nina, 
10  endowed  with  power  by  the  god  Ningirsu, 

named  with  a  favorable  name  by  the  goddess  Bau, 
endowed  with  intelligence  by  the  god  En-ki,^ 


10 


COLUMN  II 

covered  with  renown  by  the  goddess  Ninni, 
the  favorite  servant  of  the  god  who  is  King  of  Gish- 
galla-ki, 

9  Patesi  means  a  "  priest-king,"  usually  the  viceroy  of   some  more 
warlike  king. 

10  Also  called  Ea,  the  god  of  the  deep. 


48  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

the  favorite  of  the  goddess  Duzi-abzu. 
I  am  Ur-Bau; 
5  the  god  Ningirsu  is  mj  King. 
The  site  of  .  .  .^^  he  has  excavated. 
The  earth  thence  extracted,  like  precious  stones,  he  has 

measured ; 
like  a  precious  metal  he  has  weighed  it. 


COLUMN  III 

According  to  the  plan  adopted  he  has  marked  out  a  large 

space ; 
into  the  middle  of  it  he  has  carried  this  earth, 
and  he  has  made  its  mundus. 
Above,  a  substructure  6  cubits  high  he  has  built. 
5  Above  this  substructure 

the  temple  E-Ninnu,  which  illumines  the  darkness,  30 

cubits  in  height, 
he  has  built. 
For  the  goddess  Nin-gharsag,^^  the  mother  of  the  gods, 


COLUMN  IV 

her  temple  of  Girsu-ki 
he  has  constructed. 
For  the  goddess  Bau, 
the  good  lady, 
5  the  daughter  of  Anna, 
her  temple  of  Uru-azagga 
he  has  constructed. 

For  the  goddess  Ninni,  the  lady  august,  the  sovereign, 
her  temple  of  Gishgalla-ki 
10  he  has  constructed. 

For  the  god  En-ki,  the  King  of  Eridu, 
his  temple  of  Girsu-ki 

11  Perhaps    Home    edifice    previously   dedicated    to   the    goddess    Bau. 
The  characters  are  destroyed. 

12  "  The  lady  of  the  mountain." 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  49 

COLUMN  V 

he  has  constructed. 

For  the  god  Nin-dara,^^  the  lord  of  destinies, 
his  temple  he  has  constructed. 
For  the  god  Nin-agal, 
5  his  god, 
his  temple 
he  has  constructed. 
For  the  goddess  Nin-mar-ki  ^* 
the  good  lady, 
10  the  eldest  daughter  of  the  goddess  Nina, 

the  Esh-gu-tur,  the  temple  of  her  constant  choice, 
he  has  constructed. 

COLUMN  VI 

For  the  god  .  .  . 
the  shepherd  ...  of  Girsu-ki, 
his  temple  ... 
he  has  constructed. 
5  For  the  goddess  Ku-Anna,^^ 
the  lady  of  the  cloudy  sky, 
her  temple  of  Girsu-ki 
he  has  constructed. 
For  the  goddess  Duzi-abzu, 
10  the  lady  of  Kinunir-ki, 
her  temple  of  Girsu-ki 
he  has  constructed. 

IV. —  Inscription  of  Giidea 

(KNOWN  AS  GUDEA  B) 

COLUMN  I 

In  the  House  of  Ningirsu  his  King,  the  image  of  Gudea  the 
Patesi  of  Lagash,  who  built  the  temple  E-Ninnu.     One  cab  ^^ 

13  Or  Uras. 

14  "  The  lady  of  the  city  of  Mar." 

15  The  consort  of  the  god  Martu,  or  Rimmon. 

16  A  cab  is  an  ancient  measure  of  about  half  a  liter. 

VOL.  I.— 4. 


50  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

of  strong  drink,  one  cab  of  victual,  half  a  cah  of  fine  millet, 
half  a  cab  of  ground  corn,  as  a  continual  offering  ^^  he  ap- 
pointed. If  a  Patesi  revoke  it,  transgress  Ningirsu's  com- 
mand —  may  his  own  continual  offering  in  the  House  of  Nin- 
girsu  be  revoked,  his  own  behests  be  thwarted ! 

COLUMN  II 

To  Ningirsu,  the  mighty  Hero  of  Enlil  (Bel),  Gudea  the 
Giver  of  Ornaments,  the  Patesi  of  Lagash,  the  Shepherd 
named  by  the  heart's  choice  of  jSTingirsu,  faithfully  regarded 
by  Nina  (the  Goddess  of  Nineveh),  might-endowed  by  Nin- 
dara,  gifted  with  eloquence  ^^  by  the  goddess  Bau,  the  child 
born  of  the  goddess  Gatumdug,  with  kingship's  high  scepter 
endowed  by  the  god  Gal-elim, 

COLUMN  III 

of  the  living,  far  and  wide.  Destroyer  through  Dunshagga; 
whose  supremacy  is  the  creation  of  Gishzida  his  god. 

When  Xingirsu  had  looked  upon  his  city  with  faithful  eye, 
when  he  had  named  Gudea  for  faithful  Shepherd  of  the  land, 
when  amid  the  mag-nates  he  had  established  his  power,  then 
he  purified  and  inspected  the  city,  he  made  a  ring-wall,  the 
banks  of  the  canal  he  examined. 

COLUMN  IV 

The  sodomites,  the  catamites,  the  .  .  .,  he  banished  from 
the  city.  He  who  did  not  behave  properly  with  women,  pow- 
erful officers  threw  him  into  the  canal. 

The  House  of  Ningirsu,  the  Mansion  of  Heaven  and  Earth, 
in  a  pure  place  he  built:  a  grave  he  violated  not,  a  coffin  he 
violated  not;  a  mother  (deceased)  her  child  did  not  disturb. 
The  Gatewardens  (Prefects),  the  Mayors  (chazans;  city-gov- 
ernors), the  Scribes,  the  sergeants,  the  overseers  of  this  work, 
wore  garments  of  goats'  hair.  The  Scribes  strengthened 
their  hands. 

17  I.e.,  to  hia  own  statue.  Tlie  oultus  of  Gudea  was  maintained  after 
his  death.  He  was  actually  called  "  the  god  Gudea,"  like  the  Egyptian 
kings  and  the  Roman  emperors. 

18  Gudea  mny  mean  "  speaker,  orator." 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  51 

(X)LUMN  V 

In  the  city  a  coffin  was  not  made,  a  body  was  not  laid  in 
earth;  the  wizard  priest  (sorcerer)  performed  no  rite,  poured 
forth  no  lamentation;  the  mother,  the  family  uttered  no 
lamentation.  In  the  dominion  of  SirguUa  a  man,  having  a 
suit,  to  the  place  of  swearing  brought  no  man:  an  architect 
(draughtsman)  did  not  plan  or  build  any  man's  house. 

For  Ningirsu,  his  King,  he  prepared  splendid  adornments. 
In  E-Ninnu,  the  chapel  called  "  May  Rimmon  lighten  the 
Darkness !  "  he  rebuilt,  and  restored  its  dwelling-place. 
Within  it  his  own  chosen  sepulcher  of  fragrant  cedar  he  built 
him. 

When  he  had  built  the  House  of  N"ingirsu,  Ningirsu  his 
beloved  King  commanded,  and  from  the  Upper  Sea  unto  the 
Lower  Sea  his  way  he  opened.  From  Amanum,^''  the  moun- 
tain of  cedars,  trunks  of  cedar,  whose  length  was  YO  cubits, 
and  trunks  of  cedar,  whose  length  was  50  cubits,  and  trunks 
of  box,  whose  length  was  25  cubits,  for  beams  he  felled,  and 
to  this  land  from  that  mountain  he  conveyed.  Many  dikes,  as 
a  defense  against  floods,  before  it  he  made.  Many  sacrificial 
knives  of  flashing  bronze,  7,000,  he  made.  Of  flashing  bronze 
the  water-pipes  on  its  sides  and  front  he  made.  Of  flashing 
bronze  the  water-pipes  of  its  cisterns  he  made.  Of  those 
cedars  some  into  great  doors  he  wrought ;  with  splendid  dec- 
oration he  made  them  (i.e.,  the  doors)  surpassing,  and  in 
E-Ninnu  he  set  them  up:  others  of  them  in  E-Mag-kia-sig- 
de-da  ^o  he  fashioned  into  beams.  From  the  city  of  Ursu 
(Tassu),  from  Mt.  Ibla,  zabanum-trees,  huge  shadur-trees, 
Tuddibbum-trees,  and  gin-trees,  for  beams  he  felled. 

COLUMN  VI 

In  E-Ninnu  into  beams  he  fashioned  them.  Shamanum 
from  the  mountains  of  Menua,  musalla  from  the  mountains  of 
the  West  County,  and  Nagal-stone  he  fetched ;  into  inscribed 
slabs  he  made  them,  and  on  the  side-walls  of  E-Ninnu  he  set 

19  Probably  Lebanon. 

20  I.e.,  "  The  lofty  House,"  the  place  into  which  the  sick  were  carried 

for  healing. 


52  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

them  up.  From  Tidanum  (Dedau)  in  the  mountains  of  the 
West  Country,  Shirgal-gabbia-stone  he  brought ;  into  urpadda 
(doorposts)  he  wrought  them;  for  the  door-bars  in  the  House 
he  set  them  up.  At  Kagal-ad-ki,  in  the  Copper  Mountains, 
he  dug  out  copper;  into  weapons  unsparing  he  wrought  it. 
From  the  land  of  Meluchcha,  he  fetched  i/s/m-wood ;  into  .  .  . 
he  made  it.  Much  hulalu-stoiie  he  fetched ;  into  weapons  for 
the  mighty  he  wrought  it.  Gold  dust  from  the  mountains  of 
Gagum  2^  he  fetched ;  into  weapons  for  the  mighty  he  made  it. 
Gold  dust  from  the  land  of  Meluchcha  he  fetched;  for  the 
E-lMartu  (House  of  the  Storm-god)  he  wrought  it.  Lid-ri  he 
fetched.  From  Gubin,  the  land  of  the  galub-tree,  he  fetched 
galub-wood ;  into  bolts  he  fashioned  it.  From  Madga-land, 
from  the  mountains  of  the  river  Galruda,  mineral  pitch  he 
fetched;  the  platform  of  E-Ninnu  he  built  therewith.  Im- 
ga-um  he  fetched.  From  the  mountains  of  Barsib  with 
nalua-stoue  great  barges  he  filled ;  the  base  of  E-Ninnu  he  sur- 
rounded therewith.  With  arms  he  crushed  the  city  of 
Anshan  in  Elam ;  the  spoils  of  it  for  :N"ingirsu  in  E-Ninnu  he 

laid  up. 

COLUMN  VII 

Gudea,  the  Patesi  of  Sirgulla,  when  he  had  built  E-Xinnu 
for  Ningirsu  and  adorned  it  with  decorations ;  when  a  House 
of  Imagery  (carven  work),  such  as  no  pontiff-king  had  ever 
built  for  Ningirsu,  he  had  built ;  his  name  he  inscribed ;  an 
ornament,  his  own  statue,  he  prepared ;  the  commands  of  Nin- 
girsu he  faithfully  performed.  From  the  land  of  Magan 
hard  stone  (diorite)  he  fetched;  into  his  own  likeness  (the 
statue)  he  formed  it;  lu.gal-mu.ea.ni  mu.na.ru  nam.ti 
Ni.BA.MU  22  for  a  name  he  called  it ;  in  E-Xinnu  he  placed  it. 
Gudea  to  the  statue  gave  command :  "  To  the  statue  of  my 
King  say  thou  it !  "  ^3 

After  I  had  built  E-Ninnu,  his  beloved  House,  I  enfran- 
chised debtors,  ^*  I  washed  hands.^"'     During  seven  days  corn 

21  I.e.,  Khakh.  sontlieast  of  Medina   (TTommol) . 

22"  My  kin{?.  Whose  House  I  liave  built,  let  Life  be  my  reward!  " 

28  I.e.,  "  the  jirayer  expressed  in  thy  name." 

24  Literally,  "  loosed  interest." 

25 /.e.,  "cleared  all  liabilities." 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  53 

(food)  was  not  restricted ;  the  bondmaid  was  made  equal  with 
her  mistress,  with  the  bondman  his  lord  was  put  on  a  par ;  in 
my  city  with  the  powerful  his  inferior,  at  his  side,  reclined. 
The  bad  man  from  this  House  I  repelled.  To  the  behests  of 
Nina  and  Ningirsu  I  was  heedful.  No  oppression  did  the 
rich  man  commit ;  violence  the  mighty  man  did  not  commit. 
The  house  which  had  no  son,  its  daughter  presented  its 
offering  in  the  mouth  before  his  Image  she  placed  it. 

For  the  statue  of  Gudea  neither  silver  nor  lapis  lazuli  let 
there  be !  neither  copper  nor  tin,  nor  bronze,  as  covering  or 
ornament,  shall  any  man  bestow  or  lay  on !  be  it  hard  stone 
only !  let  a  place  of  drink-offering  be  appointed !  the  work  of 
the  pious  let  no  man  destroy !  The  statue  before  thee,  O 
Ningirsu,  the  statue  of  Gudea, 

COLOIX  VIII 

the  Patesi  of  Sirgulla,  who  built  Ningirsu's  E-Ninnu  —  the 
man  that  shall  take  it  out  of  E-Ninnu,  that  shall  erase  his 
(Gudea's)  inscribed  name  mu.sae  —  the  man  that  shall  carry 
it  off  as  spoil  —  the  man  who,  on  the  New  Year's  Festival, 
instead  of  my  God  his  own  God  (Ningirsu  is  my  King;) 
among  the  people  shall  honor  with  libations  —  my  decrees 
shall  put  down,  my  gifts  shall  reverse  —  in  the  chanting  of 
my  stated  prayers  my  name  shall  take  out,  his  o^\ti  name  shall 
put  in  —  the  side-walls  of  Ningirsu,  my  King,  of  their  cas- 
ing shall  strip,  before  him  shall  not  sing ;  in  the  days  to  come, 
of  the  exalted  Seed  a  Patesi  of  Sirgulla  E-Ninnu  for  Ningirsu 
my  King  shall  rebuild,  who  shall  prepare  splendid  decor- 
ations. His  commands  let  no  man  alter,  nor  put  down  his 
decrees !  —  Of  Gudea,  the  Patesi  of  Sirgulla,  whoso  his  com- 
mands shall  alter,  his  decrees  put  down  (annul),  may  Anu, 
Enlil,  Nin-garsag,  En-ki  the  Righteous,  Enzu  (Sin)  whose 
Name  man  uttereth  not,^*^  Ningirsu  King  of  Arms,  Nina  the 
Lady  of  Oracles,  Nindara  the  Warrior  King,  the  Mother  of 
Sirgulla  the  glorious  Gatumdug,  Bau  the  Lady  eldest-born  of 
Anu  (Heaven),  Ishtar  the  Lady  of  Battle,  the  Sun-god  the 

26  As  the  Jews  came  to  avoid  uttering  the  awful  name  of  Jehovah 
(or  Jahvah). 


54  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

King  of  Liglit-giving,  Ishum  the  Overseer  of  the  World,  Gal- 
elim,  Dunshaggana,  Nin-mar-ki  (Lady  of  the  West-land), 


COLUMN  IX 

eldest-bora  of  Nina,  Duzi-abzu  Lady  of  Ki-nu-nir-ki  (Bor- 
sippa),  and  my  God  Gishzida  mar  his  lot !  like  an  ox  in  broad 
day  may  be  be  slaughtered,  like  a  wild  bull  in  full  strength, 
fast  bound,  may  he  be  slain !  his  throne  may  the  men  he  has 
carried  captive  lay  in  the  dust !  his  children,  his  name  to  blot 
out  let  them  set  their  mind !  his  name,  in  the  House  of  his  God, 
from  the  tablets  may  they  take  out !  may  his  God  regard  not 
the  people's  crying !  with  the  rain  of  heaven  may  he  smite  it ! 
with  the  waters  of  earth  may  he  unite  it!  nameless  may 
he  go  forth  to  die!  let  his  noble  offspring  become  base! 
That  man,  like  one  who  hath  done  evil  unto  a  righteous 
man,  far  away  at  Heaven's  foundation  in  the  marshes 
may  he  abide !  ...  Of  the  Deliverer  of  the  Gods,  the  Lord 
Ningirsu,  his  Majesty  let  the  world  declare! 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  55 


THE  DREAM  OF  GUDEA 

COLUMN  II 

When  in  determining  fate  in  heaven  and  earth  he  exalted 
Lagash  with  great  decrees,  Enlil  upon  the  lord  Ningirsu 
looked  faithfully.  "  In  my  city  property  exists  not.  The 
waters  return  not  to  their  bank,  the  waters  of  Enlil  ^  return 
not  to  their  bank,  the  waters  return  not  to  their  bank, 

"  The  high  flood  gleams  not  full  of  strength,  the  waters  of 
Enlil,  like  the  Tigris,  flow  not  with  fresh  water.  The  temple 
its  kings  shall  proclaim,  Eninnu,  in  heaven  and  earth,  he  shall 
cause  to  arise  in  splendor." 

The  Patesi,  who  is  a  man  of  vast  understanding,  exercised 
understanding.  Great  things  he  burnt  as  offering.  Seemly 
oxen  and  kids  he  caused  to  be  brought  directly. 

He  exalted  the  brick  of  destiny.  To  build  the  holy  temple 
he  elevated  it  toward  him  {i.e.,  Ningirsu).  Unto  his  lord 
during  the  day  and  at  midnight  Gudea  unto  the  lord  Ningirsu 
gazed.  He  commanded  him  concerning  the  building  of  his 
temple ;  upon  Eninnu,  whose  decrees  are  great,  he  looked. 

Gudea,  whose  heart  is  profound,  sighed  these  words, 
"  Verily,  verily  I  will  speak,  verily,  verily  I  will  speak,  with 
this  command  I  will  go.  A  shepherd  am  I ;  unto  me  hath  one 
given  majesty.  That  which  midnight  hath  brought  unto  me 
—  its  meaning  I  understand  not.  Unto  my  mother  my  dream 
verily  I  will  report. 

COLUMN  II 

"  My  prophetess  instructed  in  what  is  proper,  my  Nina,  the 
sister  who  is  goddess  in  Sirara,  verily  its  meaning  will 
announce  unto  me."  In  her  boat  she  embarked  not.  In  her 
city  Nina,  upon  the  river  flowing  at  Nina,  she  caused  her  boat 

1  From  the  translation  by  S.  I-^angdon,  Reader  of  Assyriolojiy  at  Ox- 
ford T^niversity,  in  his  "  Sumerian  Grammar  and  Chrcstoraathy." 
~  •'  The  waters  of  Enlil  "  means  the  canal,  or  river,  at  Lagash. 


56  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

to  remain.  The  river  bright  and  glad,  morning  and  evening 
rejoiced.  In  the  Baga,  house  of  the  bright  river,  where  water 
is  taken,  a  sacrifice  he  made,  pure  water  he  poured  out. 
"  Hero,  raging  panther,  whom  none  can  oppose,  O  Ningirsu, 
who  arises  from  the  nether  sea,  in  Nippur  thou  art  glorious. 
O  hero,  what  command  shall  I  perform  for  thee  faithfully  ? 
Kingirsu,  thy  house  I  will  build  for  thee.  The  decrees  fit- 
tingly I  will  perform  for  thee.  Thy  sister,  the  child  whom 
Eridu  created,  wise  in  what  is  fitting,  lady  prophetess  of  the 
gods,  my  Xina  thy  sister,  goddess  in  Sirara,  may  she  embark." 

Gudea  was  heard.  His  prayer  from  Gudea,  his  king  the 
lord  i^ingirsu  received.  In  the  house  Baga  he  performed 
sacred  rituals. 

The  patesi  to  the  temple  of  Gatumdug,  her  chamber  of 
repose,  went  away.  Sacrifices  he  made,  pure  water  he  poured 
out.  Unto  the  sacred  Gatumdug  he  went.  This  prayer  he 
spoke  to  her.  "  Oh  my  lady,  child  whom  sacred  Anu  created, 
wise  in  what  is  fitting,  eminent  in  heaven, 

COLOIX  III 

"  Giving  life  to  the  land  of  Sumer,  enlightener  of  her  city, 
lady,  mother  who  founded  Lagash  art  thou.  If  thou  lookest 
upon  the  people  there  is  abundance  in  plenty.  The  pious 
hero  whom  thou  lookest  upon  —  life  is  lengthened  unto  him. 
A  mother  I  have  not,  my  mother  thou  art ;  a  father  I  have  not, 
my  father  thou  art.  My  father  made  evil  his  heart  against 
me;  in  the  great  chamber  thou  hast  nurtured  me.  O  my 
Gatumdug,  thou  art  wise  in  goodness.  If  in  the  night  I 
recline  myself,  my  great  sword  thou  art ;  at  my  side  thou 
standest.  With  a  shining  torch  .  .  .  thou.  The  breath  of 
life  thou  createst  for  me.  The  protection  of  a  mother  art 
thou.  Thy  shadow  I  reverence.  With  thy  mighty  hand 
whose  faithful  power  is  supreme, 

"  Oh  my  lady,  Gatumdug,  me  thou  wilt  make  humble. 
Unto  the  city  I  will  go.  May  my  omen  be  favorable.  Unto 
Nina,  wlio  rises  above  the  world,  may  tliy  good  genius  go 
before  mc.  May  thy  good  angel  go  at  my  heel.  Verily, 
verily  I  will  speak;  verily,  verily  I  will  speak.     With  these 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  57 

words  I  will  go.     Unto  my  mother  my  dream  I  will  bring. 

My  prophetess,  wise  in  what  is  fitting,  my  Nina,  the  sister, 

goddess  in  Sirara,  its  meaning  verily  will  reveal."     Gudea 

was  heard. 

COLUMN  IV 

His  lady,  holy  Gatumdng,  received  from  Gudea  his  prayer. 

In  her  boat  she  embarked  not.  At  her  city  Nina,  she  left 
the  boat  fixed.  The  patesi  in  the  court  of  the  goddess  of 
Sirara  lifted  his  head  heavenward.  A  sacrifice  he  made, 
pure  water  he  poured  out.  Unto  Nina  he  went,  a  prayer  he 
brought.  "  O  Nina,  lady  of  priestly  rights,  lady  of  precious 
decrees.  0  lady,  like  Enlil,  deciding  fates,  O  Nina,  thy  word 
is  faithful;  above  all  it  excels.  Prophetess  of  the  gods  art 
thou ;  mistress  of  the  lands  art  thou.  O  mother,  let  me  relate 
now  the  dream.  The  meaning  of  the  dream  I  know  not. 
There  was  a  man  —  like  heaven  was  his  form,  like  earth  was 
his  form ;  as  to  the  crown  of  his  head  a  god  was  he ;  at  his 
side  was  the  storm-bird ;  at  his  feet  was  the  hurricane ;  at  his 
right  and  at  his  left  a  panther  lay.  He  commanded  me  to 
build  his  temple.  His  meaning  I  understand  not.  The  sun 
arose  from  the  world.  There  was  a  woman,  who  was  it  not, 
who  was  it  ?  .  .  .  she  made.  The  sacred  stylus  she  held  in 
her  hand.     She  possessed  the  tablet  of  the  good  stars. 

COLUMN  V 

"  She  counseled  with  herself. 

"  Secondly,  there  was  a  strong  man ;  .  .  .  a  tablet  of  lapis 
lazuli  he  held  in  his  hand.  For  the  temple  a  plan  he  made. 
Before  me  an  holy  head  basket  he  placed ;  the  holy  mold  he 
arranged.  The  brick  of  fate  in  the  mold  he  made.  By  the 
sacred  .  .  .  placed  before  me  the  .  .  .  bird  brought  morn- 
ing light  to  me.     An  ass  crouched  at  the  right  of  my  lord." 

The  patesi  his  mother  Nina  answered.  "  My  shepherd, 
thy  dream  I  will  interpret  for  thee.  As  for  the  man  in  form 
like  heaven,  in  form  like  the  earth,  as  to  his  head  a  god,  at  his 
side  the  storm-bird,  at  his  feet  the  hurricane,  at  whose  right 
and  at  whose  left  a  panther  lay,  verily  my  brother  Ningirsu  it 
is.     Thee  he  hast  commanded  the  building  of  the  abode  of  his 


68  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Eninnu.  The  sun  which  arose  from  the  world  is  thy  god 
Gishzida ;  like  the  sun  from  the  world  he  arose  for  thee.  The 
maiden  who  .  .  .  made,  who  in  her  hand  held  the  sacred 
stylus,  who  possessed  the  tablet  of  the  favorable  stars,  who 
counseled  with  herself,  verily  it  is  my  sister  Nidaba. 

COLUMN  VI 

"  By  the  bright  star  she  announced  unto  thee  the  building 
of  the  temple.  In  the  second  place  there  is  the  strong  man 
.  .  .  who  held  in  his  hand  a  plate  of  lapis  lazuli ;  it  is  the  god 
Kindub.  He  fixes  for  thee  the  plan  of  the  temple.  The 
sacred  head  basket  which  was  placed  before  thee,  the  sacred 
mold  which  was  arranged,  the  brick  of  fate  which  was  in  the 
mold,  verily,  the  holy  brick  of  Eninnu  it  is.  As  for  the  holy 
.  .  .  placed  before  thee  in  which  the  bird  .  .  .  brings  the 
light  of  dawn  to  men,  it  means  pleasant  things  shall  not  pre- 
vent thee  from  building  the  temple. 

"  As  for  the  ass  which  crouched  at  the  side  of  my  lord,  it  is 
thee ;  in  Eninnu,  like  .  .  .  thou  crouchest.  May  mason  pro- 
vide my  purification.  In  Girsu,  in  the  sanctuary  of  the  land 
of  Lagash,  thou  shalt  set  thy  foot.  In  thy  treasure-house 
change  the  tablets  of  accounts,  remove  therefrom  wood.  For 
thy  king  prepare  a  chariot.  The  ass  yoke  thereto.  The 
sacred  chariot  with  lapis  lazuli  adorn.  The  quiver  like  day- 
light shall  shine.     The  divine  sword  of  heroism  adorn. 

"  His  sacred  emblem  make,  thy  name  write  thereon.  His 
beloved  lyre,  the  usumgal  of  the  land,  instrument  which  has  a 
sweet  sound,  which  gives  counsel,  unto  the  hero  who  loves 
gifts, 

COLUMN  VII 

"  Thy  King,  the  lord  Ningirsu,  in  Eninnu,  of  the  glorious 
storm-bird,  cause  to  be  brought  in.  Thy  little  words  as  great 
words  he  has  received.  Inasmuch  as  he  whose  heart  is  as 
profound  as  heaven,  Ningirsu,  the  son  of  Enlil,  appeases  thee 
with  his  word,  and  reveals  unto  thee  the  plan  of  his  temple; 
the  hero  whose  decrees  are  great  has  blessed  thee." 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  59 


THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  URUK ' 

(A  LAMENT) 

Until  when,  oh  lady, 

Shall  the  ungodly  enemy  ravage  thy  land  ? 
In  thy  queen  city,  Uruk, 
Destruction  is  complete. 
5  In  Eulbar,  thy  temple, 
Blood  has  flowed  as  water, 
O^er  all  thy  lands  the  foe  has  poured  out  flame ; 
It  hangs  over  them  like  smoke. 

Oh  lady,  it  is  hard  for  me 
10  To  bend  my  neck  to  the  yoke  of  misfortune ! 
Oh  lady,  thou  hast  let  me  suffer, 
Thou  hast  plunged  me  in  sorrow ! 

The  mighty  evil  foe 
Broke  me  as  a  reed; 
.    15  1  know  not  what  to  resolve ; 
I  trust  not  in  myself. 
Like  a  thicket  of  waving  reeds 
I  moan  low,  day  and  night. 
I  bow  my  head  before  thee ! 
20  I  am  thy  servant ! 

1  The  chief  gods  of  the  ancient  world,  including  the  idols  of  Anu  and 
Nana  at  Uruk,  of  Ea  at  Eridu,  and  a  score  of  others,  were  carried 
away  to  Elam,  where,  for  upward  of  a  thousand  years,  they  were  held 
like  State  prisoners  in  the  temples  of  Susa,  placed  in  humble  servitude 
at  the  feet  of  the  Elamite  gods. 

Some  poet  of  Uruk,  lamenting  this  destruction,  wrote  to  his  lost 
goddess  Nana  a  plea  which  has  been  preserved  to  us.  The  above  is  a 
free,  rather  than  a  close,  translation,  by  the  editor. 


60  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


THE  OLDEST  CREATION-STOEY  ^ 

(WITH  A  PRELIMINARY  EXPLANATION  BY  DR.  ARNO  POEBEL) 

[Our  text  is  a  poem,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  mere  external 
appearance  of  the  tablet,  namely,  the  arrangement  of  the  lines 
and  the  frequent  blank  spaces  between  the  various  groups  of 
signs  due  to  the  rhythmical  character  of  the  text.  Readers 
of  the  Bible,  moreover,  will  easily  recognize  the  quaint  prin- 
ciple of  partial  repetition  or  paraphrase  in  parallel  lines, 
which  is  so  characteristic  a  feature  of  Hebrew  poetry. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  preserved  portion  of  the  first  col- 
umn we  find  the  goddess  Xintur,  or  Xin-harsagga,  speaking 
of  the  destruction  of  mankind  which  she  calls  hers,  because 
she  was  one  of  its  creators,  as  we  shall  presently  see.  It  is 
not  clear,  however,  whether  in  this  passage  she  promises  to 
protect  human  kind  from  destruction,  or  whether  she  declares 
her  intention  to  destroy  human  kind.  The  answer  to  this 
question  would  definitely  establish  the  relation  between  the 
first  two  columns  of  our  tablet  and  the  rest  of  the  text,  the 
point  at  issue  being  whether  the  former  present  an  inde- 
pendent account  of  the  creation  or  simply  a  retrospective 
description  of  the  origin  of  what  was  to  perish  in  the  flood, 
namely,  all  living  beings  and  the  cities  which  man  had  built. 
Unfortunately  it  will  be  impossible  to  give  a  definite  answer 
to  this  important  question  as  long  as  the  upper  portion  of  the 
tablet  is  missing. 

Be  this  as  it  may,  in  line  11  we  read  that  the  creating  deity 
fixes  the  commandments  concerning  man,  i.e.,  defines  his 
duties  and  his  rights,  one  of  which  is,  e.g.,  the  building  of 
cities  and  temples  in  a  "  clean  spot,"  i.e.,  in  hallowed  places. 

The  last  lines  of  the  first  column  refer  to  the  creation  of  the 
animals,  which,   by  this  passage,   are  shown  to  have  been 

1  Rpprinted,  by  permission,  from  the  publications  of  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  61 

created  after  man,  just  as  in  the  second  Biblical  account  of 
the  creation  in  Genesis  ii.  The  introductory  lines  13  and  14, 
which  form  the  transition  from  the  account  of  the  creation  of 
man  to  that  of  the  animals,  fortunately  give  us  the  names  of 
the  four  creators  of  mankind,  namely,  Anu,  Enlil,  Enki,  and 
the  goddess  Nin-harsagga,  the  four  highest  deities  of  the 
Babylonian  pantheon.  It  has  hitherto  been  almost  completely 
overlooked  v^hat  an  important  part  the  last-named  deity 
played  in  the  earlier  Babylonian  period,  especially  in  the 
southern  section  of  the  country;  our  passage,  therefore,  fur- 
nishes us  a  most  welcome  clue  concerning  the  position  of  this 
deity.  One  of  the  sacred  cities  of  this  goddess,  the  city  of 
Adab,  has  been  made  known  to  us  by  the  excavations  of  the 
University  of  Chicago. 

In  the  preserved  portion  of  the  second  column  we  read  of 
five  prediluvian  cities  of  Babylonia,  which  were  founded  and 
bestowed  upon  various  deities  evidently  by  the  most  powerful 
of  the  gods,  namely,  Enlil,  the  lord  of  all  the  lands.  As  the 
first  of  these  cities,  Eridu,  is  given  to  Enki,  the  lord  of  the 
ocean,  who  is  the  third  of  the  gods  in  rank,  it  is  possible  that 
the  now  missingoipper  portion  reported  the  founding  of  the 
sacred  cities  of  the  two  highest  gods,  namely,  Uruk,  the  city 
of  Anu,  god  of  Heaven,  and  Nippur,  the  city  of  Enlil  himself, 
which  has  been  partially  excavated  by  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  where  our  own  tablet  was  dug  from  the  soil. 
In  one  of  the  two  cities,  moreover,  one  of  the  created  men 
must  have  been  established  as  the  first  king  of  Babylonia,  but 
in  our  text  we  have  preserved  only  an  allusion  to  the  creation 
of  the  insignia  of  this  king  in  the  broken  lines  at  the  begin- 
ing  of  Column  ii. 

The  last  lines  of  the  column  are  not  clear  to  me ;  possibly 
they  treat  of  the  creation  of  canals,  etc.,  the  water  of  which 
was  indispensable  for  the  existence  of  the  Babylonian  cities ; 
for  without  it  the  land  would  turn  into  a  sandy  desert,  as 
indeed  it  has  in  many  places  at  the  present  day. 

In  the  third  column  of  our  fragment  we  are  already  in  the 
story  of  the  flood.  The  gods  have  resolved  to  destroy  man- 
kind, but  when  it  comes  to  the  execution  of  the  decision  the 


62  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

gods,  and  especially  the  goddesses  Innauna  and  Nintu,  are 
filled  with  terror,  and  the  latter  with  repentance,  for  the  great 
calamity  which  they  have  caused.  But  it  is  only  Enki,  the 
god  of  wisdom,  who  is  able  to  devise  a  plan  to  save  at  least  one 
of  the  doomed  race,  Ziugiddu,  the  tenth  and  last  of  the  pre- 
diluvian  kings,  who,  like  Noah  in  the  Bible,  was  a  pious  man ; 
in  Column  iv  we  therefore  read  that  Enki  informs  Ziugiddu 
of  the  resolution  of  the  gods,  and  the  missing  part  of  the  same 
column  must  have  reported  how  Ziugiddu  built  his  boat  and 
placed  in  it  his  family  and  all  kinds  of  artizans,  as  well  as  all 
sorts  of  animals. 

In  the  fifth  column  the  deluge  itself  is  recounted.  It  is 
caused  only  by  a  strong  rain  or,  in  the  Babylonian  expression, 
the  rain  demon,  not  as  in  the  later  Biblical  account  also  by 
the  waters  from  underneath  the  earth.  The  duration  of  the 
rain  is  seven  days  and  seven  nights ;  in  this  our  tablet  differs 
from  the  previously  known  Babylonian  account,  which  gives 
it  as  six  days  only ;  nevertheless,  in  this  point  our  text  stands 
much  nearer  to  this  other  Babylonian  account  than  to  either 
Biblical  tradition,  the  older  of  which  makes  the  rain  last  forty 
days  and  nights,  while  according  to  the  later  tradition  the 
flood  continued  to  rise  for  five  months. 

After  the  rain  has  ceased  the  Sun-god  appears  from  behind 
the  clouds  and  is  the  first  to  observe  Ziugiddu  in  his  boat, 
which  is  floating  on  the  waters.  Our  hero  prostrates  himself 
before  the  god  and,  hy  offering  up  sacrifices,  evidently  wins 
his  favor.  In  the  sixth  and  last  column,  after  an  obscure  pas- 
sage, he  prostrates  himself  before  Enlil,  who  had  been  chiefly 
responsible  for  the  resolution  of  the  gods  to  destroy  mankind. 
But  he,  too,  is  now  appeased,  and  shows  his  favor  by  making 
Ziugiddu  a  god.  In  the  last  of  the  preserved  lines  the  gods 
take  Ziugiddu  to  a  distant  land,  probably  the  country  of  Dil- 
mun,  somewhere  on  the  shore  of  the  Persian  Gulf,  where  he 
lives  thenceforth  as  a  god.] 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  63 

COLUMN  I 


"  My  human-kind  on  its  destruction  I  will  .  .  .* 

My,  Nintu's,  creations  .  .  . 
I  will  .  .  . 
5  The  people  in  their  settlements  I  will  .  .  . 

Cities  ...  he  may  build, 

their  shade  (protection)  I  will  .  .  . 

The  brick  of  our  houses  may  he  cast  in  a  clean  spot, 

Our  .  .  .  places  may  he  establish  in  a  clean  spot." 
10  ...  of  the  temennu  she  made  straight  for  it, 

The  sublime  commandments  and  precepts  she  made  per- 
fect for  it. 

After  Anu,  Enlil,  Enki,  and  Xin-harsagga 

Had  created  the  blackheaded. 

The  ...  of  the  ground  the  ground  .  .  . 
15  The  animals,  the  four-legged,  of  the  field  artfully  they 
called  into  existence. 

COLUMN  II 


"...  I  will  .  .  .  upon  him 

...  I  will  look  upon  him." 

After  the  maker  of  the  .  .  .  of  the  land,  the  establisher 

of  the  foundation  of  the  .  .  . 
Had  created  the  .  .  .  of  royalty, 
10  Created  the  sublime  ...  the  ...  of  royalty, 

The  sublime  commandments  and  precepts  he  made  perfect 

for  it. 
In  clean  places  five  cities  he  founded, 
And  after  their  names  he  had  called,  and  they  had  been 

allotted  to  kabdugas 
—  The  first  of  the  cities,  Eridu,  to  the  leader  Nudimmut 
15  he  gave, 

Secondly,  to  .  .  .  Bad-NAGAR  +  DIS  he  gave. 
Thirdly,  Larak  to  Pabilharsag  he  gave, 
2  Possibly  "  I  will "  should  be  read  in  the  plural,  "  Let  us." 


64  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Fourthly,  Sippar  to  the  hero  Shamash  he  gave, 
Fifthly,  Suruppak  to  .  .  .  he  gave; 
20  After  the  names  of  these  cities  he  had  called,  and  to 
kabdiigas  they  had  been  allotted, 
The  ...  he  ...  he  ..  . 
.  .  .  small  rivers  and  suluhs  ...  he  established  .  .  . 

COLUMN  III 


10  The  .  .  .  place 
The  people  .  .  . 
A  rainstorm  .  . 


Their  .  .  .  they  made,  .  .  . 
15  At  that  time  iSIintu  screamed  like  a  woman  in  travail. 

The  holy  Ishtar  v^ailed  on  account  of  her  people. 

Enki  in  his  own  heart  held  counsel. 

Anu,  Enlil,  Enki,  and  Xin-harsagga  .  .  . 

The  gods  of  Heaven  and  Earth  invoked  the  name  of  Anu 
and  Enlil. 
20  At  that  time  Ziugiddu  was  King,  the  priest-king  of  .  .  . 

A  huge  ...  he  made,  .  .  . 

In  humility  prostrating  himself,  in  reverence  .  .  . 

Daily  and  perseveringly  standing  in  attendance  .  .  . 

.  .  .  -ing  by  dreams  which  had  not  been  before,  .  .  . 
25  Conjuring  by  the  name  of  Heaven  and  Earth  .  .  . 

COLmiN  IV 

For  .  .  .  the  gods  a  wall  .  .  . 
Ziugiddu  standing  at  its  side  heard  .  .  . 
"  At  the  wall  at  my  left  side  stand  and  .  .  .  , 
At  the  wall  I  will  speak  a  word  to  thee. 
5  "  O  my  holy  one,  thy  ear  open  to  me 
By  our  hand  a  rainstorm  .  .  . 

will  be  sent; 
To  destrov  the  seed  of  mankind,  to  .  .  . 
Is  the  decision,  the  saying  of  the  assembly  of  the  gods. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  65 

10  "  The  commands  of  Anu  and  Enlil  .  .  .  , 
Their  kingdom,  their  rule  .  .  .  , 
To  him  .  .  . 

COLUMN  V 

All  the  windstorms  which  possess  immense  power,  they  all 
and  together  came, 


The  rainstorm  .  .  .  raged  with  them. 
When  for  seven  days,  for  seven  nights 
The  rainstorm  in  the  land  had  raged, 
5  The  huge  boat  on  the  great  waters  by  the  windstorms  had 

been  carried  away, 
Shamash  came  forth  again,  shedding  light  over  Heaven 

and  Earth. 
Ziugiddu  opened  a  ...  of  the  huge  boat. 
The  light  of  the  hero  Shamash  he  lets  enter  into  the 

interior  of  the  huge  boat. 
Ziugiddu,  the  King, 
10  Before  Shamash  he  prostrates  himself. 

The  King,  an  ox  he  sacrifices,  a  sheep  he  slaughters. 
While  .  .  .  great  horn  .  .  . 
...  he  ...  for  him 


15  .  .  .  he  filled 
.  .  .  two  .  .  . 
After  .  .  . 


COLUMN  VI 
"  By  the  soul  of  Heaven,  by  the  soul  of  the  earth,  ye  shall 

conjure  him, 
that  he  may  .  .  .  with  you. 
Anu  and  Enlil  by  the  soul  of  Heaven  and  by  the  soul  of 

the  earth  ye  shall  conjure, 
and  he  will  .  .  .  with  you." 
The  ...  of  the  ground  with  the  earth,  rising  it  rises. 

VOL.  I.— 5. 


66  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Ziugiddu,  the  King, 

Before  Anu  and  Enlil  he  prostrates  himself. 

Life  like  that  of  a  god  he  gives  to  him, 

An  eternal  soul  like  that  of  a  god  he  creates  for  him. 
10  At  that  time  Ziugiddu,  the  King, 

The  name  of  the  ..."  Preserver  of  the  seed  of  man- 
kind "  .  .  . 

On  a  .  •  .  mountain,  the  mountain  of  Dilmun  .  .  .  they 
caused  him  to  dwell 

After  .  .  .  they  had  caused  him  to  dwell, 


LEFT  EDGE 
Ziugiddu  .  .  . 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  67 


A  LATER  SUMERIAN  CREATION-TEXT  » 

The  holy  house,  the  house  of  the  gods,  in  the  holy  place 

had  not  yet  been  made ; 
No  reed  had  sprung  up,  no  tree  had  been  created. 
No  brick  had  been  laid,  no  building  had  been  set  up ; 
No  house  had  been  erected,  no  city  had  been  built ; 
5  No  city  had  been  made,  no  creature  had  been  created. 
Nippur  had  not  been  made,  E-kur  had  not  been  built ; 
Uruk  had  not  been  created,  E-ana  had  not  been  built ; 
The  Deep  had  not  been  created,  Eridu  had  not  been  built ; 
Of  the  holy  house,  the  house  of  the  gods,  the  habitation 

had  not  been  made. 
10  All  lands  were  sea. 

At  that  time  there  was  a  movement  in  the  sea ; 
Then  was  Eridu  made,  and  E-sagil  was  built, 
E-sagil,  where  in  the  midst  of  the  Deep  the  god  Lugal-dul- 

azaga  *  dwelleth ; 
The  city  of  Babylon  was  built,  and  E-sagil  was  finished. 
15  The  gods,  the  Anunnaki,  he  ^  created  at  one  time; 

The  holy  city,  the  dwelling  of  their  hearts'  desire,  they 

proclaimed  supreme. 
Marduk  laid  a  reed  upon  the  face  of  the  waters, 
He  formed  dust  and  poured  it  out  beside  the  reed. 
That  he  might  cause  the  gods  to  dwell  in  the  habitation  of 

their  hearts'  desire, 
20  He  formed  mankind. 

The  goddess  Aruru  together  with  him  ^  created  the  seed 

of  mankind. 
The  beasts  of  the  field  and  living  creatures  in  the  field  he 

formed. 

3  From  the  translation  of  L.  H.  King. 

4  Or,  Lugal-du-azaga. 

5  I.e.,  Marduk. 

6 The  Sumerian  version  reads  "together  with  the  god." 


68  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

He  created  the  Tigris  and  the  Euphrates,  and  he  set  them 
in  their  place ; 

Their  names  he  declared  in  goodly  fashion. 
25  The  grass,  the  rush  of  the  marsh,  the  reed,  and  the  forest 
he  created, 

The  green  herb  of  the  field  he  created. 

The  lands,  the  marshes,  and  the  swamps; 

The  wild  cow  and  her  young,  the  wild  calf;  the  ewe  and 
her  young,  the  lamb  of  the  fold ; 

Plantations  and  forests ; 
30  The  he-goat  and  the  mountain-goat  .  .  .  him. 

The  lord  Marduk  laid  in  a  dam  by  the  side  of  the  sea, 

He  ...  a  swamp,  he  made  a  marsh, 

...  he  brought  into  existence. 

Eeeds  he  formed,  trees  he  created ; 
35  ...  he  made  in  their  place. 

Bricks  he  laid,  buildings  he  set  up ; 

Houses  he  made,  cities  he  built ; 

Cities  he  made,  creatures  he  created. 

Xippur  he  made,  E-kur  he  built ; 
40  Uruk  he  made,  E-ana  he  built. 

[The  rest  of  the  Obverse  and  the  beginning  of  the  Eeverse 
of  the  tablet  are  wanting.] 


REVERSE 

Thy  exalted  minister  is  Papsukal,  the  wise  counselor  of 
the  gods. 


May  Nin-aha-kudu,  the  daughter  of  Ea, 
Purify  thee  with  the  pure  censer, 
And  may  she  cleanse  thee  with  cleansing  fire ! 
With  a  cup  of  pure  water  from  the  Deep  shalt  thou  purify 
thy  way ! 


10  By  the  incantation  of  ^Marduk,  the  king  of  the  hosts  of 
heaven  and  earth. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  69 

May  the  abundance  of  the  land  enter  into  thee, 
And  may  thy  decree  be  accomplished  forever ! 
0  E-zida,  thou  glorious  dwelling,  thou  art  dear  unto  the 
hearts  of  Anu  and  Ishtar! 


15  May  E-zida  shine  like  the  heavens,  may  it  be  bright  like 
the  earth,  may  it  be  glorious  like  the  heart  of  heaven. 
And  may  ...  be  firmly  established ! 


70  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


THE  CREATION  OF  THE  SUN  AND  MOON 

When  the  gods  Anu,  Enlil,  and  Enki 
Through  their  sure  counsel  and  by  their  great  commands 
Ordained  the  renewal  of  the  Moon-god, 
The  reappearance  of  the  moon,  and  the  creation  of  the 
month, 
5  And  ordained  the  oracle  of  heaven  and  earth. 
The  New  Moon  did  Anu  cause  to  appear, 
In  the  midst  of  heaven  he  beheld  it  come  forth. 

[Version]  "^     When  Anu,  Bel  and  Ea, 
The  great  gods,  through  their  sure  counsel 
10  Fixed  the  bounds  of  heaven  and  earth, 

And  to  the  hands  of  the  great  gods  entrusted 

The  creation  of  the  day  and  the  renewal  of  the  month 

which  they  might  behold. 
And  mankind  beheld  the  Sun-god^  in  the  gate  of  his 

going  forth. 
In  the  midst  of  heaven  and  earth  they  duly  created  him.^ 

7  The  first  seven  lines  are  in  Sumerian ;  the  last  seven  purport  to 
translate  this  into  Assyrian,  but,  as  will  be  seen,  they  vary  consider- 
ably from  the  original. 

8  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  in  the  Semitic  version  the  creation  of 
the  sun  is  substituted  for  that  of  the  moon,  although  in  the  preceding 
line  the  renewal  of  the  month  is  referred  to. 

»The  reverse  of  the  tablet,  which  is  badly  preserved,  is  inscribed 
with  some  grammatical  and  astrological  notes. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  71 


CHARMS  AGAINST  EVIL  SPIRITS  ^ 

TABLET  I 

The  noxious  god,  the  noxious  spirit  of  the  neck,  the  neck- 
spirit  of  the  desert,  the  neck-spirit  of  the  mountains,  the  neck- 
spirit  of  the  sea,  the  neck-spirit  of  the  morass,  the  noxious 
cherub  of  the  city,  this  noxious  wind  which  seizes  the  body 
and  the  health  of  the  body.  Spirit  of  heaven  remember, 
spirit  of  earth  remember. 

TABLET  II 

The  burning  spirit  of  the  neck  which  seizes  the  man,  the 
burning  spirit  of  the  neck  which  seizes  the  man,  the  spirit  of 
the  neck  which  works  evil,  the  creation  of  an  evil  spirit 
Spirit  of  heaven  remember,  spirit  of  earth  remember. 

TABLET  III 

Wasting,  want  of  health,  the  evil  spirit  of  the  ulcer,  spread- 
ing quinsy  of  the  gullet,  the  violent  ulcer,  the  noxious  ulcer. 
Spirit  of  heaven  remember,  spirit  of  earth  remember. 

TABLET  IV 

Sickness  of  the  entrails,  sickness  of  the  heart,  the  palpita- 
tion of  a  sick  heart,  sickness  of  bile,  sickness  of  the  head, 
noxious  colic,  the  agitation  of  terror,  flatulency  ^  of  the  en- 
trails, noxious  illness,  lingering  sickness,  nightmare.  Spirit 
of  heaven  remember,  spirit  of  earth  remember. 

TABLET  V 

He  who  makes  an  image  which  injures  the  man,^  an  evil 
face,  an  evil  eye,  an  evil  mouth,  an  evil  tongue,  evil  lips,  an 

1  From  Ashur-banipal's  library,  in  which  the  old  Sumerian  text  is 
paralleled  by  a  translation  into  Assyrian. 

2  Literally,  "  opposition." 

3  Here  we  have  a  reference  to  a  custom  well  known  in  the  Middle 


72  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

evil  poison.     Spirit  of  heaven  remember,  spirit  of  earth  re- 
member. 

TABLET  VI 

The  cruel  spirit,  the  strong  spirit  of  the  head,  the  head- 
spirit  that  departs  not,  the  head-spirit  that  goes  not  forth,  the 
head-spirit  that  will  not  go,  the  noxious  head-spirit.  Spirit 
of  heaven  remember,  spirit  of  earth  remember. 

TABLET  VII 

The  poisonous  spittle  of  the  mouth  *  which  is  noxious  to  the 
voice,  the  phlegm  which  is  destructive  to  the  .  .  .,  the  pus- 
tules of  the  lungs,  the  pustule  of  the  body,  the  loss  of  the  nails, 
the  removal  and  dissolving  of  old  excrement,  the  skin  which 
is  stripped  off,  the  recurrent  ague  of  the  body,  the  food  which 
hardens  in  a  man's  body,  the  food  which  returns  after  being 
eaten,  the  drink  which  distends  after  drinking,  death  by 
poison,  from  the  swallowing  of  the  mouth  which  distends,  the 
unreturning  wind  from  the  desert.  Spirit  of  heaven  remem- 
ber, spirit  of  earth  remember. 

TABLET  VIII 

May  Nin-cigal,^  the  wife  of  Nin-a'su,  turn  her  face  toward 
another  place ;  may  the  noxious  spirit  go  forth  and  seize  an- 
other; may  the  propitious  cherub  and  the  propitious  genie 
settle  upon  his  body.  Spirit  of  heaven  remember,  spirit  of 
earth  remember. 

TABLET  IX 

May  Febo,  the  great  steward,  the  recliner  (or  incubus) 
supreme  among  the  gods,  like  the  god  who  has  begotten  him. 

Ages.  A  waxen  figure  was  made,  and  as  it  melted  before  the  fire  the 
person  represented  by  it  was  supposed  similarly  to  waste  away.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  Horace  speaks  of  the  waxen  figure  made  by 
the  witch  Canidia  in  order  that  the  lover  might  consume  away  in  the 
fires  of  love.  Roman  and  medieval  sorcery  had  its  origin  in  that  of 
ancient  Akkad. 

4  That  would  be  consumption. 

5"Nin-cigar'  ("The  Lady  of  the  Mighty  Earth")  was  Queen  of 
Hades  and  a  form  of  "  AUat "  or  "  Ishtar."  She  is  also  identified 
with  Gula  or  Bahu  (the  Bohu  or  "Chaos"  of  Genesis  i.  2),  "The  Lady 
of  the  House  of  Death." 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  73 

seize  upon  his  head ;  against  his  life  may  he  not  break  forth. 
Spirit  of  heaven  remember,  spirit  of  earth  remember. 

TABLET  X 

On  the  sick  man  by  the  sacrifice  of  mercy  may  perfect 
health  shine  like  bronze ;  may  the  Sun-god  give  this  man  life ; 
may  Marduk,  the  eldest  son  of  the  deep,  give  him  strength, 
prosperity,  and  health.  Spirit  of  heaven  remember,  spirit 
of  earth  remember. 


A  HYMN  TO  THE  STORM-GOD,  ISHKAR  ^ 

"  Ishkar  the  glorious,"  is  thy  name,  exalted  god ; 

"  Lord  of  Ishkar,  mighty  bull  and  glorious,"  is  thy  name, 

exalted  god ; 
"  Ishkar,  child  of  heaven,  mighty  bull  and  glorious,"  is 

thy  name,  exalted  god; 
"Lord  of  Karkar,2  mighty  bull  and  glorious,"   is  thy 

name,  exalted  god ; 
5  "  Ishkar,  lord  of  plenty,  mighty  bull  and  glorious,"  is  thy 

name,  exalted  god ; 
"  Companion  of  the  lord  Ea,  mighty  bull  and  glorious,"  is 

thy  name,  exalted  god ; 
"  Father  Ishkar,  lord  that  rideth  the  storm,"  is  thy  name, 

exalted  god ; 
"  Father  Ishkar,  that  rideth  the  great  storm,"  is  thy  name, 

exalted  god; 
"  Father  Ishkar,  that  rideth  the  great  lion,"  is  thy  name, 

exalted  god ; 
10  "  Ishkar,  lion  of  heaven,  mighty  bull  and  glorious,"  is  thy 

name,  exalted  god ; 
Thy  name  doth  enthrall  the  land, 
Thy  splendor  covers  the  land  like  a  garment. 

1  The  original  of  this  hymn  is  in  Sumerian,  though  possibly  of  late 
date.  It  is  reprinted  from  "  Sumerian  and  Babylonian  Psalms,"  by  S. 
Lanpdon. 

2  Karkar  was  the  citv  of  Ishkar. 


74  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

At  thy  thunder  the  great  mountain  father  Mullil   is 

shaken. 
At  thy  rumbling  the  great  mother  Ninlil  trembles. 
15  Enlil  sent  forth  his  son  Ishkar: 

Who,  oh  my  son,  directeth  the  storm,  sendeth  forth  the 

storm  ? 
Ishkar  directeth  the  storm,  sendeth  forth  the  storm. 
The  storm  like  the  seven  demons  flieth ;  he  sendeth  forth 

the  storm. 
Spirit,  may  thy  sonorous  voice  give  forth  its  utterance; 

he  sendeth  forth  the  storm. 
20  The   lightning,   thy   messenger,   goeth   before   thee;   he 

sendeth  forth  the  storm. 
Who,  my  son,  beareth  splendor,  v^ho  that  cometh  can 

strive  with  thee  ? 
If  the  foe  do  evil  thy  father  is  by  thee;  who  can  strive 

with  thee  ? 
The  little  hail  thou  boldest,  who  can  strive  with  thee  ? 
The  great  hail  thou  boldest,  who  can  strive  with  thee  ? 
25  Thy  little  and  great  hail-stones  let  be  upon  him. 

Let  thy  right  hand  destroy  the  foe,  thy  left  arm  pluck  him 

away. 
Ishkar  gave  ear  to  the  words  of  the  father,  his  creator. 
The  father  Ishkar  went  out  of  the  house,  spirit  of  sonorous 

voice. 
Out  of  the  house,  out  of  the  city  went  he  up,  the  youthful 

lion, 
30  Out  of  the  city  took  his  way,  the  spirit  of  thunderous 

voice. 


EARLY  TEXTS  OF  AKKAD 
(3200-2100  B.C.) 


SARGON,  THE  FIRST  WORLD-CONQUEROR 


The  fruit  of  death 
May  man  meet. 
And  yet  the  fruit  of  life 
May  he  achieve." 


•OLD    AKKADIAN  SONG. 


THE  EARLY  TEXTS  OF  AKKAD 

(INTRODUCTION) 

EXCEPT  for  ^:he  religious  songs,  or  temple  hymns,  which 
the  later  Assyrian  and  Babylonian  priests  preserved  in 
their  ancient  archaic  form,  our  texts  of  the  older  Akkadian, 
of  the  days  preceding  Ilammurapi,  are  not  numerous.  Akka- 
dian, as  already  explained,  is  a  name  given  to  the  first-known 
Semitic  peoples  who  invaded  the  Euphrates  valley.  They 
were  apparently  a  much  less  cultured  people  than  the  Sumer- 
ians  and  possessed  no  form  of  writing.  Hence  the  inva- 
ders wrote  their  first  inscriptions  in  the  Sumerian  tongue. 
Indeed,  the  oldest  xikkadian  text  yet  found  is  the  fragment  of 
a  quaint  temple  record,  which  opens  with  Sumerian  words, 
but  occasionally  drifts  into  the  Akkadian  with  which  the 
scribe  was  doubtless  more  familiar.  It  is  given  here  that  the 
reader  may  note  how  the  Sumerian  temple-offerings  of  grain 
are  changed  to  offerings  of  domestic  animals,  and  how  from 
bronze  money  men  passed  to  the  use  of  gold.  The  early 
Akkadians  were  nomads,  rather  than  agriculturists;  they 
reckoned  their  wealth  in  flocks  and  herds.  As  the  later  gen- 
erations became  more  settled  they  built  up  an  elaborate  agri- 
cultural system.  This  is  partly  preserved  in  our  second  text, 
which  is  only  a  late  Assyrian  transcript,  but  must,  from  its 
obscurity,  have  been  originally  of  early  date.  It  supplies  us 
with  our  earliest  details  of  farming  processes  and  of  man- 
made  laws. 

From  the  same  source,  an  old  Akkadian  text,  preserved 
with  a  late  Assyrian  translation,  comes  our  next  text,  a  very 
ancient  philosophy,  a  long-forgotten  king's  vague  musings  on 
the  worth  of  kingship  and  of  life. 

Following  this  we  give  the  genuine  old  Akkadian  inscrip- 
tions, read  from  the  statues  and  tablets  of  the  ancient  kings, 
the  materials  from  which  we  have  built  up  our  knowledge  of 

77 


78  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

their  reigns.  From  these  we  learn  briefly  that  there  was  a 
conqueror,  Lugal-zaggisi,  who  overthrew  the  great  Sumerian 
city  of  Lagash,  and  who  was  at  length  overthrown,  in  his 
turn,  by  Sarru-kin.  One  or  the  other  of  these  vigorous 
fighters  established  dominion  over  all  the  river  valley,  be- 
came, in  fact,  sole  ruler  of  the  world  known  to  him.  Sarru- 
kin,  who  at  first  inscribes  himself  only  as  King  of  Agade,  and 
as  being  subordinate  to  a  king  of  Kish,  comes  finally  to  call 
himself  sovereign  of  all  lands  and  servant  only  to  the  gods. 
Thus  we  see  his  rise  from  ruler  of  one  city  to  ruler  of  all 
Akkad  and  Sumer,  and  even  of  lands  beyond.  This  Sarru- 
kin  may  be  the  Sargon  of  later  legend,  or  may  be  a  still 
earlier  king  of  similar  name. 

The  records  of  later  Babylon  refer  the  origin  of  their 
mighty  city  to  a  King  Sargon  of  Agade  and  tell  a  poetic 
legend  of  him.  This,  as  well  as  the  later  Akkadian  chroni- 
cles, which  begin  with  Sargon,  is  given  here,  so  that  readers 
may  see  how  the  writing  of  history  was  first  practised.  The 
legend  of  Sargon's  birth  has  aroused  special  interest  because, 
as  the  reader  will  see,  it  bears  some  resemblance  to  the  Bible 
story  of  Moses. 

We  also  include  in  this  section  a  recently  discovered  list  of 
kings  such  as  Bcrosus  must  have  had  before  him  when  he 
wrote  of  the  tens  of  thousands  of  years  that  the  Babylonian 
civilization  had  existed. 


EARLY  TEXTS  OF  AKKAD 


FRAGMEI^T  OF  A  TEMPLE  EECOED 

(OUR  EARLIEST  AKKADIAN  TEXT) 


COLUMN  I 

Grand  Account 
Three  sheep 

To   the    Lord   the   shep- 
herds sacrificed ; 
Twelve  bullocks,  ten  heif- 


COLUMN  II 

Two  crops  of  best  sesame. 
20  One  tu-pi  of  gold ; 
One  of  bronze, 
Burnished. 
At  Uruk 


ers  —  One  iu-pi  of  gold ; 

The   shepherds   lived    on     25  Sixty  manehs  of  bronze, 


30 


their  flesh. 
A  hundred  bull  calves 
In  the  stalls. 
Ten  bull  calves 
Were    sacrificed    on    the 

south  and  west  borders. 
10  Eleven  bull  calves  to  Wm.- 

gal. 
Eleven    bull    calves    for 

breeding. 
Thirty  bull  calves 
At  :N^od. 
Ten  bull  calves 
15  At  Ashnak. 
One  boar. 

Twenty  fat  porkers. 
Ten  fine  hogs. 

1  This  apparently  means  that  the  temple  garden   was  ruined, 
list  is  a  sort  of  chronicle  of  the  temple  happenings  of  every  sort. 

79 


Dark 
As  pitch 

The  swamp  overflowed 
The  Lord's  domain  ;^ 
Together  trees  and  corn 
Died. 

With  ditches  on  the  bor- 
ders 
The  gardeners 
The  garden 
35  Enclosed; 
Vegetatioq. 
Flourished. 


The 


80  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


EAKLY   LAWS    AND    PEECEPTS    OF   AKKADIAN 

FAKMEES 

COLUMN  I 

[First  paragraph  lost.] 

In  the  sixth  month  ^  of  the  year,  he  (the  agriculturist) 

marks  his  establishment. 
He  agrees  about  the  covenant. 
He  completes  the  wording  of  the  covenant. 
5  He  collects  his  tax-gift   and   surrounds   the  field   with 

hedges. 
He  brings  together  the  gazelles  (his  flock)   and  gathers 

the  birds. 
He  is  to  work  from  dawn  to  dusk. 
When  the  time  of  the  working  of  the  field  comes,  he 

plows,  rakes,  and  divides  it. 
For  every  sixty  measures  of  grain  the  farmer  takes  eight 

measures,   wheat   produce,   straw   in   stokes,   grain 

thrashed  and  winnowed. 

10  Field  of  half.     In  this  case  a  field  of  culture  is  merely 

for  culture. 
He  (the  agriculturist)  goes  as  associate  to  his  associate. 
He  plows  the  field,  he  keeps  his  seeds,  he  takes  the  birds 

together,  and  gathers  manure. 
He  waters  the  field  and  multiplies  the  seeds. 
When  the  time  of  working  the  field  comes  he  plows  and 

rakes  it,  and  the  overseer  reports  to  the  lord  of  the 

field. 

15  Field  of  partnership.     He   (the  agriculturist)   takes   a 
field  of  partnership  with  the  lord  of  the  field. 

1  Only  the  Akkadian  text  of  this  paragraph  remains;  it  is  interest- 
ing to  note  that  the  month  is  designated  by  a  number,  as  in  some  of 
the  omen  and  astronomical  tablets. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  81 

Everything  is  made  equal  and  on  the  same  footing;  man 
as  man,  house  as  house,  seed  as  seed. 

When  the  time  of  working  (reaping)  comes,  the  master 
sends  from  his  place  as  help  a  long  cart,  an  ox  for 
thrashing  the  com ;  and  the  corn  of  the  field  .  .  . 

[One  paragraph  lost.] 

COLUMN  II 

[Three  paragraphs  lost.] 

He  draws  water  ^  for  the  field  .  .  . 
5  He  takes  possession  of  the  field. 

He  fences  with  sticks  the  ground  to  be  plowed. 
He  has  the  field  plowed  and  rakes  it. 
He  waters  it  once  or  twice. 
He  fixes  hooks  for  the  pails  for  drawing  water. 
10  When  the  time  of  working  comes,  in  a  field  of  fifths  the 
farmer  takes  one  part. 

As  for  the  other  divisions,  he  takes  the  percentage  accord- 
ing to  the  division. 
In  a  field  of  a  third  he  takes  a  third. 
In  a  field  of  a  fourth  he  takes  a  fourth. 
In  a  field  of  a  fifth  he  takes  a  fifth. 
15  In  a  field  of  a  tenth  he  takes  a  tenth. 

As  for  the  tithe,  he  gives  one  part  as  tithe  to  the  palace. 

[One  paragraph  lost.] 

(REVERSE)  —COLUMN  III 

Of  property. 

Various  kinds  of  divisions  (or  land  tenures)  : 

division  of  half, 

division  of  a  third, 

division  of  a  fourth, 

division  of  a  fifth, 

division  of  a  tenth, 

division  with  a  tithe. 

2  The  paragraph  is  mutilated;  it  may  refer  to  the  establishment  of 
some  irrigating  instrument. 
VOL.  I.— 6. 


82  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Furniture  and  fixtures: 

furniture  of  the  palace, 

fences, 

sticks  for  fences, 

poles, 

threshold, 

plowing  instruments, 

plowing  instruments  of  the  field, 

poles  of  the  plantation. 
Enclosure  (or  garden)  : 

enclosure  of  the  palace, 

enclosure  of  the  lord, 

enclosure  of  the  associate. 

5  He  (the  agriculturist)  marks  the  limit  of  his  garden. 

He  indicates  the  limit  of  the  garden  by  means  of  boundary 
stones.^ 

He  plants  date-trees  in  it. 

He  waters  the  young  plants. 

He  strengthens  the  walls. 
10  He  completes  the  paling  of  the  garden. 

The  lord  of  the  garden  may  give  to  the  farmer  his  dis- 
missal. 

He  pulls  up  the  paling  of  the  garden. 

He  extends  one  enclosure  to  the  other. 

He  strengthens  the  walls. 

15  On  the  thirtieth  of  the  eighth  month, ^  in  fine  weather. 
At  the  time  of  drying  dates. 
At  the  time  of  pulling  off  the  paling. 
In  order  to  quit  himself  he  delivers  to  the  lord  of  the 

plantation  two-thirds  of  the  dates. 
He  takes  a  fixed  amount  and  he  sends   in  money  the 
amount  of  the  produce  of  the  date-trees. 

[A  paragraph  lost.] 

8  Or  palinjrs. 

*  In  Akkadian  the  month  Apin. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  83 

COLUMN  IV 

He  makes  secure  the  door  and  the  gate. 

The  servants'  (or  working)  house  and  the  dwelling-house 

also. 
He  establishes  for  a  dwelling  his  dwelling-house  as  such. 
Until  the  house  is  built,  he  prepares  the  beams  and  makes 

the  foundations. 
5  He  gathers  together  the  beams  which  have  been  cut. 
He  arranges  in  rows  the  chief  beams. 
He  strengthens  the  old  house  with  bricks  and  sets  up  the 

uprights. 
When  he  does  not  work  in  the  fields,  he  works  in  the  house. 
He  makes  a  small  house  in  the  middle  of  the  garden. 
10  He  lays  dow^i  the  intermediary  wall  of  his  foundation. 
He  puts  a  roof  over  the  wall  he  has  devised. 
He  makes  the  first  house  of  the  man. 
Let  him  hold  himself  cautioned  once  and  twice,  even  if  he 

is  not  told  so. 
He  works  and  toils  for  himself. 
15  He  pays  the  wages  at  the  time  of  the  cessation  of  work. 
If  his  wall  is  not  constructed  strongly  he  must  not  set  up 

props. 
The  house  of  comfort  must  be  a  house  for  his  comfort. 
He  makes  a  house  as  a  proper  house  for  a  man,  as  becom- 
ing to  a  man. 
If  the  house  is  not  arranged  as  a  proper  house  he  shall  pay 

a  fine  of  ten  shekels.^ 

[Two  or  more  paragraphs  and  the  colophon  are  lost.] 

5  The  tablet  from  which  the  above  is  a  translation  is  of  great  im- 
portance as  giving  us  information  and  particulars  as  to  the  system 
of  land  tenure  and  cultivation  of  the  land  in  the  early  Akkadian  period. 
The  tablet  speaks  first  of  the  simple  tenure,  and  it  shows  (Paragraph 
2)  that  the  tenure  was  to  begin  legally  from  the  sixth  month;  that  is. 
the  Babylonian  Vlulu.  The  end  of  that  month  is  no  doubt  meant,  and 
it  would  tend  to  confirm  the  opinion  that  at  an  earlier  date  Tisritu 
was  the  first,  and  Vlulu  the  last  month  of  the  year,  though  the  Baby- 
lonians might  have  had  an  agricultural  year,  as  we  have  a  financial 
year,  a  scholastic  or  university  year,  etc.  After  having  chosen  the 
farm  and  agreed  to  the  conditions  of  the  contract,  the  first  step  of 


84  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

the  farmer  was  to  determine  his  position  toward  the  treasury,  for, 
among  the  Babylonians  as  among  moderns,  the  payment  of  the  taxes 
is  a  proof  of  the  legality  of  the  holding.  After  that  the  farmer  had 
to  gather  his  live  stock.  The  tablet  says  "  gazelles,"  and  so  carries  ua 
back  to  the  earliest  period,  for  the  ox  and  sheep  did  not  come  originally 
from  Babylonia,  and  the  lirst  animal  domesticated  there  must  have 
been  a  kind  of  gazelle  which  was  found  wild  in  the  country.  In  the 
tablet,  however,  the  word  "  gazelle  "  is  no  doubt  taken  to  mean  any 
kind  of  quadruped;  in  the  same  way  the  word  '"birds"  designates  here 
domesticated  birds  —  doves,  ostriches,  and  at  a  later  period  hens,  which 
were  introduced  a  long  time  before  the  Persian  conquest.  Being  once 
established  in  his  farm,  he  is  to  give  all  his  time  to  it. 

After  tJiCse  preliminaries  about  tenure  in  general  come  the  specifi- 
cations about  the  various  kinds  of  tenure.  The  first  spoken  of  is  the 
tenure  by  half,  as  it  is  called;  it  appears  to  signify  the  properties 
which  used  to  belong  half  to  the  lord  and  half  to  the  peasant  who 
was  attached  to  the  soil  as  serf.  In  that  case  the  farmer  worked  for 
his  master,  he  kept  the  live  stock  and  the  seeds,  but  everything  was 
controlled  by  the  agent  of  the  landlord.  In  the  field  of  partnership, 
on  the  contrary,  the  landlord  was  placed  on  the  same  footing  as  his 
tenant;  if  the  latter  gave  his  labor,  the  former  had  to  provide  himi 
with  the  material,  implements,  utensils,  stock,  grain,  seeds,  etc. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  85 


THE    PHILOSOPHY    OF   AN    UNKNOWN    RULER 

If  evil 

thou  bast  done, 

to  the  sea  forever 

.  .  .  thou  goest. 

My  city  bless : 

among  my  men 

fully  prosper  me. 

Bless  everything ; 

and  to  my  dress  be  favorable. 

Before  the  oxen  as  they  march 

in  the  grain  thou  liest  down. 

My  knees  are  marching, 
my  feet  are  not  resting: 
with  no  wealth  of  thine  own, 
grain  thou  begettest  for  me. 

A  heifer  am  I ; 
to  the  cow  I  am  yoked : 
the  plow-handle  is  strong; 
lift  it  up,  lift  it  up ! 

May  he  perform  vengeance: 
may  he  return  also 
to  him  who  gives. 

The  marsh  as  though  it  were  not  he  passes  ;^ 

the  slain  as  though  they  were  not  ...  he  makes  good. 

To  the  waters  their  god  ^ 
has  returned : 

1  This  line  ig  translated  from  the  Akkadian,  the  Assyrian  text  being 
wanting,  and  the  words  "  a  recent  lacuna  "  being  written  instead.  This 
makes  it  clear  that  the  scribe  who  copied  the  tablet  for  Ashur-banipal's 
library  did  not  understand  Akkadian  and  could  not,  therefore,  supply 
the  translation. 

2  This  seems  to  be  quoted  from  a  hymn  describing  the  return  of 
Oannes  to  the  Persian  Gulf. 


86  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

to  the  house  of  bright  things 
he  descended  as  an  icicle : 
on  a  seat  of  snow- 
he  grew  not  old  in  wisdom. 


Like  an  oven 
which  is  old 
against  thy  foes 
be  hard. 

Thou  wentest,  thou  spoiledest 
the  land  of  the  foe ; 
for  he  went,  he  spoiled 
thy  land,  even  the  foe. 

Kingship 

in  its  going  forth 

is  like  a  royal  robe. 

Into  the  river  thou  plungest,  and 

thy  water  is  swollen 

at  the  time : 

into  the  orchard  thou  plungest,  and 

thy  fruit 

is  bitter. 

The  com  is  high, 

it  is  flourishing; 

how 

is  it  known  ? 

the  com  is  bearded, 

it  is  flourishing; 

how 

is  it  known  ? 

The  fruit  of  death 
may  the  man  eat, 
and  yet  the  fruit  of  life 
may  he  acliieve. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  87 


HISTORICAL  INSCRIPTIONS 


L— On  a 

Statue 

i    OF    LUGAL-ZAGGISI 

( Perhaps 

the 

first 

-  world-conqueror) 
and 

Lugal-zaggisi, 
lord 

destroy 
his  seed. 

of  the  land  of  Uruk, 

Whoever 

King 

of  the  land  of  Ur. 

shall  .  .  . 
this 

Who  shall  destroy 
this 

image, 
may  Enlil 

inscription 

may  Enlil 
and 

Shamash 
tear  out 

his  name, 
may  he  break 
his  weapon. 
Before 

his  foundations 

Enlil 

he  has  set  it  up. 

II. —  On  a  Statub  of  Saeru-kin 
(Either  the  conqueror  Sargon  or  a  still  earlier  king  of  similar  name) 

Sarru-kin,  in  a  battle 

King  Uruk 

of  Agade,  and 

vicegerent  50  isakhus 

of  Inanna,  he  vanquished 

King  of  Kish,  with  the  battle  mace 

pasisu  of  Anu,  of  Zamama 

King  and 

of  the  land,  the  city 

isakJcti  he  smote, 

of  Enlil,  

[About  twenty-five  lines  are  missing.] 


88 


THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


he  vanquished 

E-Ninmar 

and 

he  smote 

the  city  he  smote 

and 

and 

its  wall 

its  wall 

he  destroyed. 

and 

Unto  Sarru-kin, 

its  territory 

King  of 

from 

the  land, 

Lagash 

Enlil 

as  far  as 

then  gave 

the  sea 

no  rival, 

he  smote ; 

the  upper 

his  weapons 

and 

he  washed  in  the  sea. 

the  lower 

Ubme 

sea 

in  a  battle 

Here  some  thirty  lines  are 

missing.     The  ins( 

continues  r 

Whoever 

Who  destroys 

shall  .  .  . 

this 

this 

inscription, 

image. 

may  Enlil 

may  Enlil 

and 

Shamash 

his  name, 

tear  out 

may  he  break 

liis  foundations 

his  weapon ! 

and 

Before 

destroy 

Enlil 

his  seed. 

he  has  set  it  up. 

III. —  Inscription  of  Sarru-kin  ^ 

Sarru-kin,  of  Agade, 

King  vicegerent 

iThis  is  carved  in  double  column,  one  being  in  Sumerian,  the  other 
in  Akkadian. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST 


89 


of  Ishtar, 

Xing  of  Kish, 

pasisu  of  Anum, 

King 

of  the  land, 

great  isakku 

of  Enlil : 

the  city  of  Uruk 

he  smote 

and  its  wall 

he  destroyed. 

With  the  people  of  Uruk 

he 

battled  ^ 

and  he 

routed  them. 

With  Lugal-zaggisi, 

King 

of  Uruk, 

he 

battled 

and  he  captured  him  ^ 

and  in  fetters 

he  led  him 

through  the  gate  of  Enlil. 

Sarru-kin, 

King 

of  Agade, 

battled  with  the 

man  of  Ur 

and  vanquished  him ; 

his  city 

he  smote  * 


and 

its  wall 

he  destroyed. 

E-Ninmar 

he  smote 

and  its  wall 

he  destroyed, 

and  its  entire  territory, 

from  Lagash 

to  the  sea, 

he  smote. 

His  weapons 

he  washed 

in  the  sea. 

With  the  man  of  Umma 

he  battled 

and  he  routed  him 

and  smote 

his  city 

and 

destroyed 

its  wall. 

Unto  Sarru-kin, 

King 

of  the  land, 

Enlil 

gave 

no  foe  (adversary)  ; 

from  the  upper 

sea 

to  the  lower 

sea. 


2  Akkadian  text :  "  In  a  battle  he  vanquished  Uruk,"  or  perhaps 
better :     "  In  the  battle  with  Uruk  he  gained  the  victory." 

8  Alckadian  text:   "his  hand  captured  him." 

4  The  Semitic  text  runs :  "  In  a  battle  he  vanquished  Ur  and  smote 
the  city." 


90 


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Enlil  subjected  the  lands  to 

him.^ 
.  .  .  and  the  man  of  .  .  . 
and  the  man  of  .  .  . 
stand  in  attendance 
before 
Sarru-kin, 
King 
of  the  land. 

Sarru-kin, 

King 

of  the  land, 

restored 


Kish  (i.e.,  the  people  of 
Kish) 

in  its  old  place. 

Their  city 

he  gave  to  them  as  a  dwelling- 
place. 

Who  shall 

destroy 

this  inscription, 

may  Shamash 

tear  out 

his  foundations 

and  destroy 

his  seed. 


IV. —  Insckiption  of  Sarru-kin  ® 


.  .  .  and  he  gave  unto  him 

the  upper 

land, 

Mari, 

larmuti, 

and  Ibla, 

as  far  as 

the  cedar 

forest 

and 

the  silver 

mountains 

Unto  Sarru-kin, 

the  King, 

Enlil 

did  not  give 

6  The  Semitic  text  runs:     "The 
Bubjpctcd  to  him." 

« This  badly  broken  old  record 
Akkadian  text. 


an  adversary. 

5400  men 

eat  daily 

food 

before  him. 

Whoever  destroys 

this  inscription, 

may  Anu 

destroy 

his  name, 

may  Enlil 

extirpate 

his  seed, 

may  Innanna 

•   •   •   xim  •   •   • 

upper  soa  and  the  lower  sea   Enlil 
gives  also  a  Sumerian  and  parallel 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  91 


THE  LEGEND  OF  SAEGON,  KING  OF  AGADE 

Sargon,  the  mighty  king,  the  King  of  Agade,  am  I, 

My  mother  was  lowly,  my  father  I  knew  not, 

And  the  brother  of  my  father  dwells  in  the  mountain. 

My  city  is  Azupiranu,'^  which  lies  on  the  bank  of  the 
Euphrates. 
5  My  lowly  mother  conceived  me,  in  secret  she  brought  me 
forth. 

She  set  me  in  a  basket  of  rushes,  with  bitumen  she  closed 
my  door; 

She  cast  me  into  the  river,  which  rose  not  over  me. 

The  river  bore  me  up,  unto  Akki,  the  irrigator,  it  carried 
me. 

Akki,  the  irrigator,  with  .  .  .  lifted  me  out, 
10  Akki,  the  irrigator,  as  his  own  son  .  .  .  reared  me, 

Akki,  the  irrigator,  as  his  gardener  appointed  me. 

While  I  was  a  gardener  the  goddess  Ishtar  loved  me, 

And  for  .  .  .  -four  years  I  ruled  the  kingdom. 

the  black-headed  peoples  ^  I  ruled,  I  governed ; 
15  Mighty  mountains  with  axes  of  bronze  did  I  destroy. 

I  climbed  the  upper  mountains ; 

I  burst  through  ihe  lower  mountains. 

The  Country  of  the  Sea  three  times  did  I  besiege ; 

Dilmun  ^  did  .  .  . 
20  Unto  the  great  Dur-ilu  ^"  I  went  up,  I 

...  I  altered  .  .  . 

Whatsover  king  shall  be  exalted  after  me. 


Let  him  rule,  let  him  govern  the  black-headed  peoples ; 
25  Mighty  mountains  with  axes  of  bronze  let  him  destroy. 

7  The  location  of  this  city  is  unknown. 

8  A  common  phrase  for  the  people  of  the  Fuphrates  valley. 

9  Dilmun  was  an  island  in  the  Persian  Gulf.  .  ri  a  " 
10  A  city  in  eastern  Babylonia.     The  name  signifies,  "  Wall  of  God. 


92  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Let  liim  climb  the  upper  mountain ; 
Let  him  burst  through  the  lower  mountains. 
The  country  of  the  Sea  let  him  three  times  besiege 
And  Dilmun  .  .  . 
SO  To  the  great  Dur-ilu  let  him  go  up  ,  .  . 
.  .  .  from  my  city  of  Akkad  .  .  . 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  93 


CHRONICLE  CONCERNmO  SARGON  AND  OTHER 

EARLY  KINGS 

Sargon,  King  of  Agade,  by  Ishtar's  royal  insignia  was 

exalted, 
And  he  had  no  rival  or  enemy.     His  glory  he  poured  out 

over  the  world. 
The  sea  of  the  East  *^  he  crossed, 

And  in  the  eleventh  year  his  hand  subdued  the  Country  of 
the  West  ^^  in  its  full  extent. 
5  He  united  them  under  one  control ;  he  set  up  his  images  in 
the  west ; 
Their  booty  he  brought  over  at  his  word. 
He  settled  the  sons  of  his  palace  for  five  biru  around, 
And  over  the  hosts  of  the  world  he  reigned  supreme. 
Against  Kagalla  he  marched,  and  turned  Kagalla  into 
mounds  and  ruins; 
10  He  destroyed  within  it,  leaving  not  a  bird's  resting-place. 
Afterward  in  his  old  age  all  the  lands  revolted  against  him, 
And  they  besieged  him  in  Agade ;  and  Sargon  went  forth 

to  battle  and  accomplished  their  defeat ; 
Their  overthrow  he  brought  about,  and  their  wide  spread- 
ing host  he  destroyed. 
Afterward  he  attacked  the  land  of  Subartu  in  his  might, 
and  before  his  arms  they  bowed  down, 
15  And  Sargon  quelled  that  revolt,  and  accomplished  their 
defeat ; 
Their  overthrow  he  brought  about,  and  their  wide  spread- 
ing host  he  destroyed. 
Their  possessions  he  caused  to  be  brought  into  Agade. 
The  soil  he  removed  from  the  trenches  of  Babylon, 
And  the  boundaries  of  Agade  he  made  like  those  of  Baby- 
lon.i3 

11  The  Persian  Gulf. 

12  Syria.  .         , 
IS  This  passage  seems  to  identify  the  kingdom  of  Agade  witb  tne 


94  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

20  But  because  of  the  evil  which  he  had  committed  the  great 
lord  Marduk  was  angry, 
And  he  destroyed  his  people  by  famine. 
From  the  rising  of  the  sun  unto  the  setting  of  the  sun 
They  rebelled  against  him  and  gave  him  no  rest. 

OBVERSE 

iN'aram-Sin,  the  son  of  Sargon,  marched  against  the  city 

of  Apirak, 
.  And  he  built  trenches,  and  his  hand  subdued 
Eish-Adad,  King  of  Apirak,  and  the  governor  of  Apirak. 
He  marched  against  Magan,^^  and  Mannu-dannu,  King  of 

Magan,  his  hand  subdued, 
5  Dungi,  son  of  Ur-Engur,  richly  adorned  the  city  of  Eridu, 

which  was  on  the  shore  of  the  sea. 
But  he  sought  after  evil,  and  the  treasure  of  E-sagila  and 

of  Babylon, 
He  brought  out  as  spoil.     And  Bel  was  .  .  .  and  body 

and  ...  he  made  an  end  of  him. 
Ura-imitti,  the  King,  set  Bel-ibni,  the  gardener, 
Upon  his  throne,  that  the  dynasty  might  not  come  to  an 

end; 
10  And  the  crown  of  his  kingship  he  placed  upon  his  head, 
Ura-imitti  in  his  palace  .  .  .  died. 

Bel-ibni,  who  sat  upon  the  throne,  did  not  arise  therefrom, 
But  was  established  as  king. 
Hu-shuma,  King  of  Assyria,  against  Su-abu. 

later  kingdom  of  Babylon ;  but  it  also  seems  to  imply  the  earlier  sep- 
arate existence  of  Babylon  as  a  defeated  rival  of  Agade. 
1*  Sinai. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  95 


OMEN  TABLET  OF  SARGON  OF  AKKAD  '^ 

OBVERSE 

When  the  moon  at  its  setting  with  the  color  of  a  dust-cloud 
filled  the  crescent,  the  moon  was  favorable  for  Sar- 
gon,  who,  at  this  season, 

marched  against  the  country  of  Elam  and  subjugated  the 
men  of  Elam. 

Misery  he  brought  upon  them ;  their  food  he  cut  off. 

When  the  moon  at  its  setting  filled  the  crescent  with  the 
color  of  a  dust-cloud,  and  over  the  face  of  the  sky  the 
color  extended  behind  the  moon  during  the  day  and 
remained  bright, 
5  the  moon  was  favorable  for  Sargon,  who  marched  against 
the  country  of  Phenicia,  and 

subjugated  the  country  of  Phenicia.  His  hand  conquered 
the  four  quarters  of  the  world. 

When  the  moon  increased  in  form  on  the  right  hand  and 
on  the  left,  and  moreover  during  the  day  the  finger 
reached  over  the  horns, ^^ 

the  moon  was  favorable  for  Sagon  who,  at  this  season,  pro- 
duced joy  in  Babylon,  and 

like   dust   the   spoil   of   Bab-dhuna   was   carried   away 
and  .  .  . 
10  ...  he  made  Akkad  a  city ;  the  city  of  .  .  .  he  called  its 
name; 

the  men  ...  in  the  midst  he  caused  to  dwell. 

15  The  astrological  notices  with  which  the  account  of  Sargon's  cam- 
paigns is  associated  are  explained  by  the  fact  that  the  great  Chaldean 
work  on  astronomy  and  astrology  was  compiled  for  his  library  at 
Akkad,  and  that  one  of  the  objects  of  this  work  was  to  trace  a  con- 
nection between  certain  astronomical  occurrences  and  the  events  which 
immediately  followed  tliem. 

16  The  moon  lay  on  its  back,  and  the  distance  from  the  extremity  of 
one  horn  to  that  of  another  was  as  much  as  a  span. 


96  TKE  SACRED  BOOKS 

When  tlie  mooii  ...  on  the  left  the  color  of  fire  .  .  . 

on  the  left  of  the  planet,  and 
the  moon  was  favorable  to  Sargon  who,  at  this  season, 

against  the  country  of  Phenicia 
marched  and  subjugated  it.     The  four  quarters  of  the 

world  his  hand  conquered. 

15  When  the  moon  .  .  .  behind  the  moon  the  four  heads 

were  placed, 
the  moon  was  favorable  to  Sargon  who,  at  this  season, 

marched  against  the  country  of  Phenicia  and 
subjugated  the  country  of  Phenicia.     His  enemies  he 

smote ;  his  heroes 
...  in  the  gate  of  its  ^"  rising. 

When  the  moon  was  fixed  and  a  span  .  .  .  the  moon  was 
favorable  to  Sargon,  as  for  whom,  at  this  season,  the 
goddess  Ishtar 
20  with  favors   filled   for  him   his  hand  .  .  .  the   goddess 
Ishtar  all  countries 

caused  him  to  conquer ;  against  Tiri  .  .  . 

When  the  moon  appeared  like  a  lion,  the  moon  was  favor- 
able to  Sargon  v/ho,  at  this  season, 

was  very  exalted  and  a  rival  or  equal  had  not;  his  own. 
country  was  at  peace.     Over 

the  countries  of  the  sea  of  the  setting  sun  ^^  he  crossed  and 
for  three  years  at  the  setting  sun 
25  all  countries  his  hand  conquered.     Every  place  to  form 
but  one  empire  he  appointed.     His  images  at  the  set- 
ting sun 

he  erected.     Their  spoil  he  caused  to  pass  over  into  the 
countries  of  the  sea.^^ 

17  The  Sun-pod  must  be  referred  to. 

18  Tlie   Mediterraneun. 

10  We  infer  from  this  that  Sargon  had  crossed  over  into  Cyprus,  and 
there  erpctod  an  ima^e  of  liims(>lf.  This  might  explain  wliy  his  later 
narn^sake  Sarpon  sent  to  tlie  island  a  monument,  which  is  now  in 
Berlin.     General  di  Cesnola  brought  back   from  Cyprus  a   Babylonian 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  97 

When  the  moon  on  the  right  hand  was  like  the  color  of 
gall,  and  there  was  no  finger ;  ^*^  the  upper  part  was 
long  and  the  moon  was  setting, 

the  moon  was  favorable  for  Sargon,  who  enlarged  his  pal- 
ace of  Delight  by  5  mithliu,  and 

established  the  chiefs  in  it  and  called  it  the  House  of 
Kiam-izallik.^^ 

30  When  the  moon  was  like  a  cloud,  like  the  color  of  gall,  and 
there  was  no  finger;  on  the  right  side  was  the  color 
of  a  sword;  the  circumference  of  the  left  side  was 
visible ; 

toward  its  face  on  the  left  the  color  extended;  the  moon 
was  favorable  for  Sargon,  against  whom,  at  this  sea- 
son, Kastubila  of  the  country  of  Kazalla  rebelled 
and  against  Kazalla 

Sargon  marched  and  he  smote  their  forces;  he  accom- 
plished their  destruction. 

Their  mighty  army  he  annihilated ;  he  reduced  Kazalla  to 
dust  and  ruins. 

The  station  of  the  birds  ^^  he  overthrew. 

35  When  the  moon  was  like  a  cloud,  like  the  color  of  gall,  and 
there  was  no  finger  f^  on  the  right  side  was  the  color 
of  a  sword;  the  circumference  of  the  left  was  visi- 
ble; 
and  against  its  face  the  Seven  ^'^  advanced ;  the  moon  was 
favorable  to  Sargon,  against  whom,  at  this  season, 

cylinder  of  hematite  bearing  the  inscription,  "  Abil-Ishtar,  the  son  of 
Ilu-Balidh,  the  servant  of  the  deified  Naram-Sin."  The  cylinder  was 
probably  executed  either  during  the  reign  of  Naram-Sin,  or  shortly 
afterward,  as  the  cult  of  the  King  is  not  likely  to  have  continued  after 
the  fall  of  his  dynasty. 

20  It  could  not  be  measured. 

21  "  Thus  he  has  appointed." 

22  What  this  refers  to  it  is  impossible  to  say.     The  expression  can 
hardly  be  metaphorical. 

23  It  could  not  be  measured. 

24  The  Seven  Evil  Spirits,  who  were  supposed  to  cause  eclipses  of  the 
moon. 

VOL.  I.— 7. 


98  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

the  elders  of  the  whole  country  revolted  and  besieged  him 
in  the  city  of  Akkad ;  but 

Sargon  issued  forth  and  smote  their  forces ;  their  destruc- 
tion he  accomplished. 

REVERSE 

Their  numerous  soldiery  he  massacred ;  the  spoil  that  was 

upon  them  he  collected. 
"  The  booty  of  Ishtar !  "  he  shouted. 

When  the  moon  had  two  fingers,  and  swords  were  seen  on 
the  right  side  and  the  left,  and  might  and  peace  were 
on  the  left 

its  hand  presented  a  sword ;  the  sword  in  its  left  hand  was 
of  the  color  of  'sukhuruni;  the  point  was  held  in  the 
left  hand  and  there  were  two  heads ; 
5  the  moon  was  favorable  for  Sargon  who,  at  this  season, 

subjected  the  men  of  the  country  of  'Su-edin  ^^  in  its  plen- 
itude to  the  sword,  and 

Sargon  caused  their  seats  to  be  occupied,  and 

smote  their  forces;  their  destruction  he  accomplished; 
their  mighty  army 

he  cut  off,  and  his  troops  he  collected;  into  the  city  of 
Akkad  he  brought  them  back. 

10  When  the  moon  had  two  fingers  and  on  the  right  side  of  it 

was  of  the  color  of  a  sword  and  on  the  left  it  was 

visible ; 
and  against  its  face  the  Seven  advanced;  its  appearance 

was  of  the  color  of  gall ;  the  moon  was  favorable  for 

Naram-Sin  ^^ 
who,  at  this  season,  marched  against  the  city  of  Apirak, 

and 
utterly  destroyed  it :  Ris-Eimmon  the  King  of  Apirak, 
he  overthrew  and  the  city  of  Apirak  his  hand  conquered. 

25  "  The  plain  of  the  'Ruti,"  or  nomad  tribes  on  the  eastern  side  of 
Babylonia. 

26  The  successor  of  Sargon  on  the  throne. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  99 

15  When  the  moon  ...  on  the  right  of  it  was  of  the  color  of 
a  sword,  and  on  the  left  it  was  visible ; 

and  against  its  face  the  Seven  advanced;  the  moon  was 
favorable  for  Naram-Sin  who,  at  this  season, 

marched  against  the  country  of  Maganna  ^^  and  seized 
the  country  of  Maganna,  and 

.  .  .  the  King  of  Maganna  his  hand  captured. 

When  against  the  moon  the  Seven  were  banded,   and 
behind  it  .  .  . 
20  .  .  .  never  may  there  be  a  son.  .  .  . 

2TTlie  Sinaitic  Peninsula. 


100  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


A  NEW-FOUND  LIST  OF  KINGS  ^ 

(PURPORTING  TO  BEGIN  FROM  THE  CREATION) 

COLUMN  I 
[The  beginning  of  Column  i  (about  16  lines)  is  missing.] 

Qalumum 

ruled  900  years. 

Zuqaqib 

ruled  840  years. 

Arpi,  son  of  a  muskenu, 

ruled  720  years. 

Etana,  the  shepherd, 

who  ascended  to  Heaven, 

who  subdued  (ruled)  all  lands, 

ruled  635  years. 

Willi  .  .  .  son  of  Etana, 

ruled  410  years. 

En-me-nunna 

ruled  611  years. 

Melam-kishi,  son  of  En-me-nunna, 

ruled  900  years. 

Bar-sal-nunna,  son  of  En-me-nunna, 

ruled  1200  years. 

Mes-za-mug,  son  of  Bar-sal-nunna, 

ruled  .  .  .  years. 

.  .  .,  son  of  Bar-sal-nunna, 

ruled  .  .  .  years.  .  .  . 

COLUMN  II 
[The  beginning  of  Column  it  (about  18  lines)  is  missing.] 


The  kingdom 


1  Reprinted,  by  permission,  from  the  publications  of  the  I'niversity 
of  Pennsylvania. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  101 

of  Kish 

passed  to  Eanna. 

In  E-anna 

Meskingaser, 

son  of  Shamash, 

as  lord 

and  King 

ruled  325  years. 

Meskingaser 

descended  into  .  .  . 

and  ascended  to  .  .  . 

Enmerkar, 

son  of  Meskingaser, 

King  of  Uruk, 

who  built  ... 

together  with  the  people  of  Uruk,  as  King 

ruled  420  years. 

Lugal-banda,  the  shepherd, 

ruled  1200  years. 

Dumu-zi,  the  hunter, 

whose  city  was  HA- A, 

ruled  100  years. 

Gilgamesh, 

whose  father  was  .  .  ., 

the  lord  of  Kulab, 

ruled  126  years. 

.  .  .  lugal, 

the  son  of  Gilgamesh, 

ruled  .  .  .  years. 

COLUMN  III 

[The  beginning  of  Column  iii  (about  21  lines)  is  miss- 
ing.] 


The  kingdom 
of  Uruk 


102  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

passed  to  Ur. 
In  Ur 

Mes-anni-pada 
became  King 
and  ruled  80  years. 
Mes-kiag-nunna, 
son  of  Mes-anni-pada, 
ruled  30  years. 
Elu  .  .  . 
ruled  25  years. 
Balu  .  .  . 
ruled  3G  years. 
4  kings 
ruled  171  years. 
The  kingdom 
of  Ur 

passed  to  Awan. 
In  Awan 


[Rest  of  Column  in  (about  7  lines),  all  of  Columns  iv- 
IX,  and  about  10  lines  at  the  beginning  of  Column  x  are 
missing.] 


COLUMN  X 


Idin-Dagan,  son  of  Su-ilisu, 

ruled  21  years. 

Isme-Dagan,  son  of  Idin-Dagan, 

ruled  20  years. 

Libit-Ishtar,  son  of  Idin-Dagan, 

ruled  11  years. 

Ur-NinIB,   son  of  Ishkur  .  .  . 


dynasty  .  .  . 
[Rest  of  Column  x  (about  21  lines)  is  missing.] 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  103 

COLUMN  XI 

Total:  51  kings 

ruled 

18009   +   .  .  .  years  .  .  .  months  .  .  .  days 

four  times 

in.  Kish 

Total :  22  kings 

ruled  2610  +  x  years  6  months  and  15  days 

five  times 

in  TJruk. 

Total :  13  kings 

ruled  396  years 

three  times 

in  TJr. 

Total :    3  kings 

ruled  356  years 

once 

in  Awan. 

Total:  1  king 

ruled  Y  years 

once 

in  .  .  . 


once 
[Rest  of  Column  xi  (about  15  lines)  is  missing.] 

COLUIkIN  XII 

Total:    12  kings 

ruled  196  years 

in  Agade. 

Total:     21  kings 

ruled  125  years  and  40  days 

once 

in  the  people  of  Gutium. 

Total:     11  kings 

ruled  159  years 

in  Isin. 


104  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Eleven 

cities  ...  of  royalty 


grand  total:  134  kings; 

grand  total  of  their  years  of  reign :  28876  + 

.  .  .  months  21  days 


[The  rest  of  Column  xii  is  missing.] 


THE  GREAT  AGE  OF  BAEYLONIA 
(2100-HOO  B.C.). 


THE  REIGN  OF  HAMMURAPI 


THE  FIRST  LAW  CODE 


As  for  the  land  of  Sumer  and  ATcJcad, 
I  collected  its  scattered  people, 
And  procured  food  and  drink  for  them. 
In  abundance  and  plenty  I  pastured  them." 

—  HAMilURAPI. 


"  //  a  man  put  out  the  eye  of  another  man,  his  eye  shall  be  put 
out." 

—  LAW  OF  HAMMURAPI. 


THE  WRITINGS  OF  HAMMURAPI 

(INTRODUCTION) 

THE  career  of  King  Hammurapi  has  been  already  out- 
lined. He  was  the  ruler  who  chiefly  established  the 
greatness  of  Babylon,  the  world's  first  metropolis.  Many 
relics  of  Hammurapi's  reign  (2125-20S1  b.c.)  have  been 
preserved,  and  to-day  we  can  study  this  remarkable  King 
as  a  conqueror  in  his  royal  inscriptions,  as  a  just  and  ener- 
getic personal  ruler  in  his  personal  letters,  and  as  a  wise 
law-giver  in  his  celebrated  code. 

His  inscriptions,  which  stand  first  in  this  section,  show 
that  he  was  seriously  religious.  He  attributes  all  his  suc- 
cesses to  his  city's  god,  that  Marduk,  or  Bel-Marduk,  who 
was  thereafter  to  be  known  as  Babylonia's  chief  god.  Hav- 
ing established  the  supremacy  of  Babylon  not  only  over 
Sumer  and  Akkad,  but  over  the  surrounding  mountain  and 
desert  lands.  King  Hammurapi  next  began  a  series  of  pub- 
lic works  of  large  importance.  He  was  a  builder  of  tem- 
ples, city  walls,  and  canals.  He  was  also,  as  his  letters  here 
show,  a  watchful  administrator  of  justice.  The  Sin-idin- 
nam,  to  whom  most  of  his  surviving  letters  are  addressed,  was 
his  local  governor  over  the  city  of  Larsa,  where  the  letters 
were  found. 

But  by  far  the  most  remarkable  of  the  Hammurapi  rec- 
ords is  his  code  of  laws,  the  earliest-known  example  of  a 
ruler  proclaiming  publicly  to  his  people  an  entire  body  of 
laws,  arranged  in  orderly  groups,  so  that  all  men  might  read 
and  know  what  was  required  of  them.  The  code  was  carved 
upon  a  black  stone  monument,  eight  feet  high,  and  clearly 
intended  to  be  reared  in  public  view.  This  noted  stone  was 
found  in  the  year  1901,  not  in  Babylon,  but  in  a  city  of  the 
Persian  mountains,  to  which  some  later  conqueror  must  have 
carried  it  in  triumph.     It  begins  and  ends  with  addresses 

107 


108  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

to  the  gods.  Even  a  law  code  was  in  those  days  regarded 
as  a  subject  for  prayer,  though  the  prayers  here  are  chiefly 
cursings  of  whoever  shall  neglect  or  destroy  the  law. 

The  code  then  regulates  in  clear  and  definite  strokes  the 
organization  of  society.  The  judge  who  blunders  in  a  law 
case  is  to  be  expelled  from  his  judgeship  forever,  and  heavily 
fined.  The  witness  who  testifies  falsely  is  to  be  slain.  In- 
deed, all  the  heavier  crimes  are  made  punishable  with  death. 
Even  if  a  man  builds  a  house  badly,  and  it  falls  and  kills 
the  owner,  the  builder  is  to  be  slain.  If  the  owner's  son  was 
killed,  then  the  builder's  son  is  slain.  We  can  see  where 
the  Hebrews  learned  their  law  of  "an  eye  for  an  eye." 
These  grim  retaliatory  punishments  take  no  note  of  excuses 
or  explanations,  but  only  of  the  fact — with  one  striking  ex- 
ception. An  accused  person  was  allowed  to  cast  himself 
into  "the  river,"  the  Euphrates.  Apparently  the  art  of 
swimming  was  unknown ;  for  if  the  current  bore  him  to  the 
shore  alive  he  was  declared  innocent,  if  he  drowned  he  was 
guilty.  So  we  learn  that  faith  in  the  justice  of  the  ruling 
gods  was  already  firmly,  though  somewhat  childishly,  estab- 
lished in  the  minds  of  men. 

Yet  even  with  this  earliest  set  of  laws,  as  with  most  things 
Babylonian,  we  find  ourselves  dealing  with  the  end  of  things 
rather  than  the  beginnings.  Ilammurapi's  code  was  not 
really  the  earliest.  The  preceding  sets  of  laws  have  disap- 
peared, but  we  have  found  several  traces  of  them,  and  Ilam- 
murapi's own  code  clearly  implies  their  existence.  He  is 
but  reorganizing  a  legal  system  long  established. 


INSCRIPTIONS  OF  HA^IMURAPI^ 

I 

COLUMN  I 

Hammurapi, 

the  powerful  King, 

the  King  of  Babylon, 

the  King  of  the  four  quarters 
5  of  the  world, 

the  founder  of  the  land, 

the  King  whose  deeds  are  well  pleasing 

unto  the  heart  of  Shamash 

and  ]\Iarduk 
10  am  I. 

The  summit  of  the  wall 

of  Sippar 

I  have  raised 

with  earth 
15  like  unto 

a  great  mountain. 

I  have  compassed  it  about 

with  a  swamp. 

I  have  digged  out  the 
20  Euphrates 

unto  Sippar 

COLmiN  II 
and  I  have  set  up  a  wall  of  safety  for  it. 
Hammurapi 

the  founder  of  the  land, 
the  King  v/hose  deeds  are  well  pleasing 
5  unto  the  heart  of  Shamash 
and  Marduk 
am  T. 

I  have  caused  Sippar 
1  These  are  inscribed  in  both  the  Sumerian  and  the  Babylonian  lan- 
guage.    Th..y  are  bore  piven  as  translated  by  L.  W  .  King  m  his      Let 
ters  and  Inscriptions  of  Hammurapi." 

109 


110  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

and  Babylon 
10  to  dwell 

continuously 

in  a  peaceful  habitation. 

Hammurapi, 

the  darlini^  of  Shamash, 
15  the  beloved  of  Marduk, 

am  I. 

That  which  from  days 

of  old 

no  king 
20  had  built 

for  the  king  of  the  city, 

for  Shamash  my  lord 

I  have  accomplished  in  might. 

II 

Hammurapi 

the  powerful  King, 

the  King  of  Babylon, 

the  King  who  has  brought  into  subjection 
5  the  four  quarters  of  the  world, 

who  has  brought  about  the  triumph  of 

Marduk, 

the  shepherd,  who 

delights  his  heart,  am  I. 
10  When  Ann  and  Bel  gave  me 

the  land  of  Sumer  and 

Akkad 

to  rule,  and  entrusted 

their  scepter 
15  to  my  hands, 

I  dug  out 

the  Hammurapi  canal, 

named  Xukhush-nish,  which 

brings  abundance  of  water 
20  unto  the  land  of  Sumer 

and  Akkad. 

Both  the  •  ^    . 

banks  thereof 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  111 

I  changed  to  fields  for  cultivation,  and  I  garnered 
25  piles  of  grain 

and  I  procured 

unfailing  water 

for  the  land  of  Sumer 

and  Akkad. 
30  As  for  the  land  of 

Sumer 

and  Akkad,  I  collected  its  scattered 

people, 

and  procured 
35  food  and  drink 

for  them. 

In  abundance  and  plenty  I  pastured  them, 

and  caused  them 

to  dwell 
40  in  a  peaceful  habitation. 

At  that  time  I, 

Hammurapi, 

the  mighty  King, 

the  beloved  of  the  great  gods, 
45  through  the 

gTeat  power 

which  Marduk  had  bestowed  upon  me, 

built  a  lofty  fortress, 

with  much  earth 
50  whose  top,  at  the  head 

of  the  Hammurapi  canal 

named  Kukhush-nish, 

reaches  heaven 

like  a  mountain. 
55  This  fortress  I  named 

Dur-Sin-muballit-abim-walidia, 

and  so 

did  I  cause 

the  name  of  Sin-muballit, 
60  the  father  who  begat  me, 

to  dwell  in  the 

four  quarters  of  the  world. 


in  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


LETTERS  OF  HAMMURAPI 


Unto  Sin-idinnam  saj: 

Thus  saith 

Ilammurapi. 

Thou  shalt  call  out  the  men 

who  hold  lands  along  the  banks 

of  the  Damanum  canal 

that  they  may  dig  out 

the  Damanum  canal. 

Within  the  present  month 

they  shall  complete  the  work 

of  clearing  out 

the  Damanum  canal. 

II 

To  Sin-idinnam,  Ilammurapi  saith : 

Shummanlailu  has  reported  as  follows:  Bribery  has 
taken  place  in  Dur-Gurgurri.  The  man  who  took  the  bribe 
and  the  witness  to  these  matters  are  here.  Thus  he  (i.e., 
Shummanlailu)  has  reported.  Now  this  Shummanlailu  and 
a  watchman  and  one  ...  I  am  sending  down  to  thee. 
"When  you  receive  this  tablet,  investigate  it  and  if  bribery 
has  taken  place,  send  me  an  official  report  of  the  silver  and 
wlifltever  is  involved  in  the  bribe,  and  send  to  me  the  men 
who  took  the  bribe  and  the  witnesses  to  these  matters. 

Ill 

To  Sin-idinnam,  Ilammurapi  saith : 

Amel-tummumu,  a  Kippurian,  thus  has  reported  to  me. 
"  I  stored  up  70  gur  of  grain  in  a  granary.  Apil-ili  opened 
the  granary  and  took  the  grain.     Thus  he  reported  to  me. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  US 

Herewith  I  am  sending  this  Amel-tummumu  to  thee.  Send 
for  Apil-ili  and  let  them  confirm  their  statements  to  thee. 
See  to  it  that  Apil-ili  takes  the  grain  and  returns  it  to  Amr-1- 
tummumu.'' 

IV 

Unto  Sin-idinnam  say: 

Thus  saith  Hammurapi.  Behold  I  am  now  dispatching 
unto  thee  three  hundred  and  sixty  laborers.  See  that  one 
hundred  and  eighty  of  these  laborers  serve  with  the  work- 
men of  the  city  of  Larsa,  and  one  hundred  and  eighty  of 
them  with  the  workmen  of  the  town  of  Rakhabu  ...  let 
them  go. 

Unto  Sin-idinnam  say: 

Thus  saith  Hammurapi.  Since  the  year  (i.e.,  the  calen- 
dar) has  a  deficiency,  let  the  month  which  is  beginning  be 
registered  as  the  second  Elul.  And  instead  of  the  tribute 
arriving  in  Babylon  on  the  twenty-fifth  day  of  the  month 
Tishri,  ...  let  it  arrive  in  Babylon  on  the  twenty-fifth  day 
of  the  second  Elul. 


VOL.  I.— 8. 


114.  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


HAMMURAPI'S  CODE  OF  LAWS 

When  Anu  the  Sublime,  King  of  the  Anunaki,  and  Bel, 
the  Lord  of  Heaven  and  earth,  who  decreed  the  fate  of  the 
land,  assigned  to  Marduk,^  the  over-ruling  son  of  Ea,  God 
of  righteousness,  dominion  over  earthly  man,  and  made  him 
gTeat  among  the  Igigi,  they  called  Babylon  by  his  illustrious 
name,  made  it  great  on  earth,  and  founded  an  everlasting 
kingdom  in  it,  whose  foundations  are  laid  so  solidly  as  those 
of  heaven  and  earth ;  then  Anu  and  Bel  called  by  name  me, 
Hammurapi,  the  exalted  prince,  who  feared  God,  to  bring 
about  the  rule  of  righteousness  in  the  land,  to  destroy  the 
wicked  and  the  evil-doers ;  so  that  the  strong  should  not  harm 
the  weak ;  so  that  I  should  rule  over  the  black-headed  people 
like  Shamash,^  and  enlighten  the  land,  to  further  the  well- 
being  of  mankind. 

Hammurapi,  the  prince,  called  of  Bel  am,  I,  making 
riches  and  increase,  enriching  Nippur  and  Dur-ilu  beyond 
compare,  sublime  patron  of  E-kur ;  ^  who  reestablished  Eridu 
and  purified  the  worship  of  E-apsu ;  "*  who  conquered  the 
four  quarters  of  the  world,  made  great  the  name  of  Baby- 
lon, rejoiced  the  heart  of  Marduk,  his  lord  who  daily  pays 
his  devotions  in  Saggil ;  ^  the  royal  scion  whom  Sin  made ; 
who  enriched  Ur ;  ^  the  humble,  the  reverent,  who  brings 
wealth  to  Gish-shir-gal ;  the  white  king,  heard  of  Shamash, 
the  mighty,  who  again  laid  the  foundations  of  Sippara ;  "^ 
who  clothed  the  gravestones  of  Malkat  with  green ;  ^  who 

1  Marduk  was  Babylon's  chief  god,  and  in  Hammurapi's  day  was 
already  regarded  as  having  received  from  the  other  and  older  gods  all 
their  authority. 

2  The  Sun-god. 

3  Temple  of  Rel  in  Nippur,  the  seat  of  Bel's  worship. 

4  Temple  of  Ea,  at  Eridu,  the  chief  scat  of  Ea's  worship. 

5  Marduk's  temple  in  Babylon. 

6  Abraham's  birthplace,  the  seat  of  the  worship  of  Sin,  the  Moon-god. 

7  Seat  of  worship  of  Shamash  and  his  wife,  Malkat. 

8  Symbolizing  the  resurrection  of  nature. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  115 

made  E-babbar^  great,  which  is  like  the  heavens,  the  war- 
rior who  guarded  Larsa  and  renewed  E-babbar,^°  with  Sha- 
mash  as  his  helper;  the  lord  who  granted  new  life  to  Uruk,^^ 
who  brought  plenteous  water  to  its  inhabitants,  raised  the 
head  of  E-anna,^^  and  perfected  the  beauty  of  Anu  and 
Nana ;  shield  of  the  land,  who  reunited  the  scattered  inhabi- 
tants of  Isin ;  who  richly  endowed  E-gal-mach ;  ^^  the  pro- 
tecting king  of  the  city,  brother  of  the  god  Zamama ;  ^'*  who 
firmly  founded  the  farms  of  Kish,  crowned  E-me-te-ursag  ^^ 
with  glory,  redoubled  the  great  holy  treasures  of  Nana,  man- 
aged the  temple  of  Harsag-kalama ;  ^^  the  grave  of  the  en- 
emy, whose  help  brought  about  the  victory;  who  increased 
the  power  of  Cuthah ;  made  all  glorious  in  E-shidlam,  the 
black  steer,^^  who  gored  the  enemy ;  beloved  of  the  god  Nebo, 
who  rejoiced  the  inhabitants  of  Borsippa,  the  Sublime ;  who 
is  indefatigable  for  E-zida;  ^^  the  divine  king  of  the  city; 
the  White,  Wise;  who  broadened  the  fields  of  Dilbat,  who 
heaped  up  the  harvests  for  Urash ;  the  Mighty,  the  lord  to 
whom  come  scepter  and  crown,  with  which  he  clothes  him- 
self ;  the  Elect  of  Ma-ma ;  who  fixed  the  temple  bounds  of 
Kesh,  who  made  rich  the  holy  feasts  of  Nin-tu ;  ^^  the  provi- 
dent, solicitous,  who  provided  food  and  drink  for  Lagash 
and  Girsu,  who  provided  large  sacrificial  offerings  for  the 
temple  of  Ningirsu ;  ^'^  who  captured  the  enemy,  the  Elect 
of  the  oracle  who  fulfilled  the  prediction  of  Hallab,  who  re- 
joiced the  heart  of  Anunit ;  ^^  the  pure  prince,  whose  prayer 
is  accepted  by  Adad ;  ^^  who  satisfied  the  heart  of  Adad,  the 

9  Temple  of  the  Sun  in  Sippara. 

10  Temple  of  the  Sun  in  Larsa  in  Southern  Babylonia. 

11  Biblical  Erech. 

12  Temple  of  Ishtar-Nana  at  Uruk. 

13  Temple  of  Isin. 

14  God  of  Kish. 

15  Sister  city  of  Kish. 

16  Temple  of  Nergal  at  Cuthah. 

17  Title  of  Marduk. 

18  Temple  of  Nebo  in  Babylon. 

19  Goddess  of  Kesh. 

20  At  Lagash. 

21  Whose  oracle  had  predicted  victory. 

22  God  of  Hallab,  with  goddess  Anunit. 


116  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

warrior,  in  Karkar,  who  restored  the  vessels  for  worship  in 
E-ud-gal-gal ;  the  king  who  granted  life  to  the  city  of  Adab ; 
the  guide  of  E-mach ;  the  princely  king  of  the  city,  the  irre- 
sistible warrior,  who  granted  life  to  the  inhabitants  of  Mash- 
kanshabri,  and  brought  abundance  to  the  temple  of  Shid- 
iam;  the  White,  Potent,  who  penetrated  the  secret  cave  of 
the  bandits,  saved  the  inhabitants  of  Malka  from  misfor- 
tune, and  fixed  their  home  fast  in  wealth;  who  established 
pure  sacrificial  gifts  for  Ea  and  Da«m-gal-nun-na,  who  made 
his  kingdom  everlastingly  great ;  the  princely  king  of  the 
city,  who  subjected  the  districts  on  the  Ud-kib-nun-na  Canal 
to  the  sway  of  Dagon,  his  Creator;  who  spared  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Mera  and  Tutul ;  the  sublime  prince,  who  makes  the 
face  of  Ninni  shine ;  who  presents  holy  meals  to  the  divinity 
of  Nin-a-zu,  who  cared  for  its  inhabitants  in  their  need,  pro- 
vided a  portion  for  them  in  Babylon  in  peace ;  the  shepherd 
of  the  oppressed  and  of  the  slaves;  whose  deeds  find  favor 
before  Anunit,  who  provided  for  Anunit  in  the  temple  of 
Dumash  in  the  suburb  of  Agade;  who  recognizes  the  right, 
who  rules  by  law ;  who  gave  back  to  the  city  of  Ashur  its  pro- 
tecting god;  who  let  the  name  of  Ishtar  of  ]Siineveh  remain 
in  E-mish-mish;  the  Sublime,  who  humbles  himself  before 
the  great  gods ;  successor  of  Sumula-il ;  the  mighty  son  of 
Sin-muballit ;  the  royal  scion  of  Eternity ;  the  mighty  mon- 
arch, the  sun  of  Babylon,  whose  rays  shed  light  over  the  land 
of  Sumer  and  Akkad ;  the  king,  obeyed  by  the  four  quarters 
of  the  world ;  Beloved  of  Ninni,  am  I. 

When  Marduk  sent  me  to  rule  over  men,  to  give  the  pro- 
tection of  right  to  the  land,  I  did  right  and  righteousness 
in  ...  ,  and  brought  about  the  well-being  of  the  oppressed. 

Code  of  Laws 

1.  If  any  one  ensnare  another,  putting  a  ban  upon  liL 
but  he  can  not  prove  it,  then  he  that  ensnared  him  shall  1 
put  to  death. 

2.  Tf  any  one  bring  an  accusation  against  a  man,  and  the 
accused  go  to  the  river  and  leap  into  the  river,  if  he  sink  in 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  117 

the  river  his  accuser  shall  take  possession  of  his  house.  But 
if  the  river  prove  that  the  accused  is  not  guilty,  and  he  es- 
cape unhurt,  then  he  who  had  brought  the  accusation  shall 
be  put  to  death,  while  he  who  leaped  into  the  river  shall  take 
possession  of  the  house  that  had  belonged  to  his  accuser. 

3.  If  any  one  bring  an  accusation  of  any  crime  before  the 
elders,  and  does  not  prove  what  he  has  charged,  he  shall,  if 
it  be  a  capital  offense  charged,  be  put  to  death. 

4.  If  he  satisfy  the  elders  to  impose  a  fine  of  grain  or 
money,  he  shall  receive  the  fine  that  the  action  produces. 

5.  If  a  judge  try  a  case,  reach  a  decision,  and  present  his 
judgment  in  writing;  if  later  error  shall  appear  in  his  de- 
cision, and  it  be  through  his  own  fault,  then  he  shall  pay 
twelve  times  the  fine  set  by  him  in  the  case,  and  he  shall  be 
publicly  removed  from  the  judge's  bench,  and  never  again 
shall  he  sit  there  to  render  judgment. 

6.  If  any  one  steal  the  property  of  a  temple  or  of  the 
court,  he  shall  be  put  to  death,  and  also  the  one  who  receives 
the  stolen  thing  from  him  shall  be  put  to  death. 

7.  If  any  one  buy  from  the  son  or  the  slave  of  another 
man,  without  witnesses  or  a  contract,  silver  or  gold,  a  male 
or  female  slave,  an  ox  or  a  sheep,  an  ass  or  anything,  or  if 
be  take  it  in  charge,  he  is  considered  a  thief  and  shall  be 
put  to  death. 

8.  If  any  one  steal  cattle  or  sheep,  or  an  ass,  or  a  pig  or 
a  goat,  if  it  belong  to  a  god  or  to  the  court,  the  thief  shall 
pay  thirtyfold  therefor;  if  they  belonged  to  a  freed  man  of 
the  king  he  shall  pay  tenfold ;  if  the  thief  has  nothing  with 
which  to  pay  he  shall  be  put  to  death. 

9.  If  any  one  lose  an  article,  and  find  it  in  the  possession 
of  another:  if  the  person  in  whose  possession  the  thing  is 
found  say  "  A  merchant  sold  it  to  me,  I  paid  for  it  before 
witnesses,"  and  if  the  owner  of  the  thing  say,  "  I  will  bring 
witnesses  who  know  my  property,"  then  shall  the  purchaser 
bring  the  merchant  who  sold  it  to  him,  and  the  witnesses 
before  whom  he  bought  it,  and  the  owner  shall  bring  wit- 
nesses who  can  identify  his  property.  The  judge  shall  ex- 
amine their  testimony  —  both  of  the  witnesses  before  whom 


118  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

the  price  was  paid,  and  of  the  witnesses  who  identify  the 
lost  article  on  oath.  The  merchant  is  then  proved  to  be  a 
thief  and  shall  be  put  to  death.  The  owner  of  the  lost  article 
receives  his  property,  and  he  who  bought  it  receives  the 
money  he  paid  from  the  estate  of  the  merchant. 

10.  If  the  purchaser  does  not  bring  the  merchant  and  the 
witnesses  before  whom  he  bought  the  article,  but  its  owner 
bring  witnesses  who  identify  it,  then  the  buyer  is  the  thief 
and  shall  be  put  to  death,  and  the  owner  receives  the  lost 
article. 

11.  If  the  owner  do  not  bring  witnesses  to  identify  the 
lost  article,  he  is  an  evil-doer,  he  has  traduced,  and  shall  be 
put  to  death. 

12.  If  the  witnesses  be  not  at  hand,  then  shall  the  judge 
set  a  limit,  at  the  expiration  of  six  months.  If  his  witnesses 
have  not  appeared  within  the  six  months,  he  is  an  evil-doer, 
and  shall  bear  the  fine  of  the  pending  case. 

14.  If  any  one  steal  the  minor  son  of  another,  he  shall  bo 
put  to  death. 

15.  If  any  one  take  a  male  or  female  slave  of  the  court, 
or  a  male  or  female  slave  of  a  freed  man,  outside  the  city 
gates,  he  shall  be  put  to  death. 

16.  If  any  one  receive  into  his  house  a  runaway  male  or 
female  slave  of  the  court,  or  of  a  freedman,  and  does  not 
bring  it  out  at  the  public  proclamation  of  the  major  domus, 
the  master  of  the  house  shall  be  put  to  death. 

17.  If  any  one  find  runaway  male  or  female  slaves  in  the 
open  country  and  bring  them  to  their  masters,  the  master  of 
the  slaves  shall  pay  him  two  shekels  of  silver. 

18.  If  the  slave  will  not  give  the  name  of  the  master,  the 
finder  shall  bring  him  to  the  palace;  a  further  investigation 
must  follow,  and  the  slave  shall  be  returned  to  his  master. 

19.  If  he  hold  the  slaves  in  his  house,  and  they  are  caught 
there,  he  shall  be  put  to  death. 

20.  If  the  slave  that  he  caught  run  away  from  him,  then 
shall  he  swear  to  the  owners  of  the  slave,  and  he  is  free  of  all 
blame. 

21.  If  any  one  break  a  hole  into  a  house   (break  in  to 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  119 

steal),  he  shall  be  put  to  death  before  that  hole  and   be 
buried. 

22.  If  any  one  is  committing  a  robbery  and  is  caught,  then 
he  shall  be  put  to  death. 

23.  If  the  robber  is  not  caught,  then  shall  he  who  was 
robbed  claim  under  oath  the  amount  of  his  loss;  then  shall 
the  community,  and  ...  on  whose  ground  and  territory 
and  in  whose  domain  it  was  compensate  him  for  the  goods 
stolen. 

24.  If  persons  are  stolen,  then  shall  the  community  and 
.  .  .  pay  one  mina  of  silver  to  their  relatives. 

25.  If  tire  break  out  in  a  house,  and  some  one  who  comes 
to  put  it  out  cast  his  eye  upon  the  property  of  the  owner  of 
the  house,  and  take  the  property  of  the  master  of  the  house, 
he  shall  be  thrown  into  that  self-same  fire. 

20.  If  a  chieftain  or  a  man  (common  soldier),  who  has 
been  ordered  to  go  upon  the  king's  highway  for  war  does  not 
go,  but  hires  a  mercenary,  if  he  withholds  the  compensation, 
then  shall  this  officer  or  man  be  put  to  death,  and  he  who 
represented  him  shall  take  possession  of  his  house. 

27.  If  a  chieftain  or  man  be  caught  in  the  misfortune  of 
the  king  (captured  in  battle),  and  if  his  fields  and  garden 
be  given  to  another  and  he  take  possession,  if  he  return  and 
reaches  his  place,  his  field  and  garden  shall  be  returned  to 
him,  he  shall  take  it  over  again. 

28.  If  a  chieftain  or  a  man  be  caught  in  the  misfortune  of 
a  king,  if  his  son  is  able  to  enter  into  possession,  then  the 
field  and  garden  shall  be  given  to  him,  he  shall  take  over 
the  fee  of  his  father. 

29.  If  his  son  is  still  young,  and  can  not  take  possession,  a 
third  of  the  field  and  garden  shall  be  given  to  his  mother, 
and  she  shall  bring  him  up. 

30.  If  a  chieftain  or  a  man  leave  his  house,  garden,  and 
field  and  hires  it  out,  and  some  one  else  takes  possession  of 
his  house,  garden,  and  field  and  uses  it  for  three  years:  if 
the  first  owner  return  and  claims  his  house,  garden,  and 
field,  it  shall  not  be  given  to  him,  but  he  who  has  taken  pos- 
session of  it  and  used  it  shall  continue  to  use  it. 


120  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

31.  If  he  hire  it  out  for  one  year  and  then  return,  the 
house,  garden,  and  field  shall  be  given  back  to  him,  and  he 
shall  take  it  over  again. 

32.  If  a  chieftain  or  a  man  is  captured  on  the  "  Way  of 
the  King"  (in  war),  and  a  merchant  buy  him  free,  and 
bring  him  back  to  his  place;  if  he  have  the  means  in  his 
house  to  buy  his  freedom,  he  shall  buy  himself  free:  if  he 
have  nothing  in  his  house  with  which  to  buy  himself  free, 
he  shall  be  bought  free  by  the  temple  of  his  community;  if 
there  be  nothing  in  the  temple  with  which  to  buy  him  free, 
the  court  shall  buy  his  freedom.  His  field,  garden,  and 
house  shall  not  be  given  for  the  purchase  of  his  freedom. 

33.  If  a  ...  or  a  ...  ^^  enter  himself  as  withdrawn 
from  the  "  Way  of  the  King,"  and  send  a  mercenary  as  sub- 
stitute, but  withdraw  him,  then  the  .  .  .  or  .  .  .  shall  be 
put  to  death. 

34.  If  a  ...  or  a  ..  .  harm  the  property  of  a  captain, 
injure  the  captain,  or  take  away  from  the  captain  a  gift 
presented  to  him  by  the  king,  then  the  .  .  .  or  .  .  .  shall 
be  put  to  death. 

35.  If  any  one  buy  the  cattle  or  sheep  which  the  king  has 
given  to  chieftains  from  him,  he  loses  his  money. 

36.  The  field,  garden,  and  house  of  a  chieftain,  of  a  man, 
or  of  one  subject  to  quit-rent,  can  not  be  sold. 

37.  If  any  one  buy  the  field,  garden,  and  house  of  a  chief- 
tain, man,  or  one  subject  to  quit-rent,  his  contract  tablet 
of  sale  shall  be  broken  (declared  invalid)  and  he  loses  his 
money.     The  field,  garden,  and  house  return  to  their  owners. 

38.  A  chieftain,  man,  or  one  subject  to  quit-rent  can  not 
assign  his  tenure  of  field,  house,  and  garden  to  his  wife  or 
daughter,  nor  can  he  assign  it  for  a  debt. 

39.  He  may,  however,  assign  a  field,  garden,  or  house 
which  he  has  bought,  and  holds  as  property,  to  his  wife  or 
daughter  or  give  it  for  debt. 

40.  He  may  sell  field,  garden,  and  house  to  a  merchant 
(royal  agents)  or  to  any  other  public  official,  the  buyer  hold- 
ing field,  house,  and  garden  for  its  usufruct. 

23  From  the  connection,  some  man  higher  in  rank  than  a  chieftain. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  121 

41.  If  any  one  fence  in  the  field,  garden,  and  house  of  a 
chieftain,  man,  or  one  subject  to  quit-rent,  furnishing  the 
palings  therefor;  if  the  chieftain,  man,  or  one  subject  to 
quit-rent  return  to  field,  garden,  and  house,  the  palings  which 
were  given  to  him  become  his  property. 

42.  If  any  one  take  over  a  field  to  till  it,  and  obtain  no 
harvest  therefrom,  it  must  be  proved  that  he  did  no  work  on 
the  field,  and  he  must  deliver  gTain,  just  as  his  neighbor 
raised,  to  the  owner  of  the  field. 

43.  If  he  do  not  till  the  field,  but  let  it  lie  fallow,  he  shall 
give  grain  like  his  neighbor's  to  the  owner  of  the  field,  and 
the  field  which  he  let  lie  fallow  he  must  plow  and  sow  and 
return  to  its  owner. 

44.  If  any  one  take  over  a  waste-lying  field  to  make  it 
arable,  but  is  lazy,  and  does  not  make  it  arable,  he  shall  plow 
the  fallow  field  in  the  fourth  year,  harrow  it  and  till  it,  and 
give  it  back  to  its  owner,  and  for  each  ten  gan  (a  measure  of 
area)  ten  gur  of  grain  shall  be  paid. 

45.  If  a  man  rent  his  field  for  tillage  for  a  fixed  rental, 
and  receive  the  rent  of  his  field,  but  bad  weather  come  and 
destroy  the  harvest,  the  injury  falls  upon  the  tiller  of  the 
soil. 

46.  If  he  do  not  receive  a  fixed  rental  for  his  field,  but 
lets  it  on  half  or  third  shares  of  the  harvest,  the  grain  on  the 
field  shall  be  divided  proportionately  between  the  tiller  and 
the  owner. 

47.  If  the  tiller,  because  he  did  not  succeed  in  the  first 
year,  has  had  the  soil  tilled  by  others,  the  owner  may  raise 
no  objection ;  the  field  has  been  cultivated  and  he  receives  the 
harvest  according  to  agreement. 

48.  If  any  one  owe  a  debt  for  a  loan,  and  a  storm  pros- 
trates the  grain,  or  the  harvest  fail,  or  the  grain  does  not 
grow  for  lack  of  water;  in  that  year  he  need  not  give  his 
creditor  any  grain,  he  washes  his  debt-tablet  in  water  ^^  and 
pays  no  rent  for  this  year. 

49.  If  any  one  take  money  from  a  merchant,  and  give 
the  merchant  a  field  tillable  for  com  or  sesame  and  order 

24  A  symbolic  action  indicating  the  inability  to  pay. 


122  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

him  to  plant  corn  or  sesame  in  the  field,  and  to  harvest  the 
crop;  if  the  cultivator  plant  com  or  sesame  in  the  field,  at 
the  harvest  the  corn  or  sesame  that  is  in  the  field  shall  belong 
to  the  owner  of  the  field  and  he  shall  pay  corn  as  rent,  for 
the  money  he  received  from  the  merchant,  and  the  livelihood 
of  the  cultivator  shall  he  give  to  the  merchant. 

50.  If  he  give  a  cultivated  corn-field  or  a  cultivated  ses- 
ame-field, the  com  or  sesame  in  the  field  shall  belong  to  the 
owner  of  the  field,  and  he  shall  return  the  money  to  the  mer- 
chant as  rent. 

51.  If  he  have  no  money  to  repay,  then  he  shall  pay  in 
corn  or  sesame  in  place  of  the  money  as  rent  for  what 
he  received  from  the  merchant,  according  to  the  royal 
tariff. 

52.  If  the  cultivator  do  not  plant  corn  or  sesame  in  the 
field,  the  debtor's  contract  is  not  weakened. 

53.  If  any  one  be  too  lazy  to  keep  his  dam  in  proper  con- 
dition, and  does  not  so  keep  it;  if  then  the  dam  break  and 
all  the  fields  be  flooded,  then  shall  he  in  whose  dam  the 
break  occurred  be  sold  for  money,  and  the  money  shall  re- 
place the  corn  which  he  has  caused  to  be  ruined. 

54.  If  he  be  not  able  to  replace  the  corn,  then  he  and  his 
possessions  shall  be  divided  among  the  farmers  whose  corn 
he  has  flooded. 

55.  If  any  one  open  his  ditches  to  water  his  crop,  but  is 
careless,  and  the  water  flood  the  field  of  his  neighbor,  then 
he  shall  pay  his  neighbor  com  for  his  loss. 

56.  If  a  man  let  in  the  water,  and  the  water  overflow  the 
plantation  of  his  neighbor,  he  shall  pay  ten  gur  of  corn  for 
every  ten  gan  of  land. 

57.  If  a  shepherd,  without  the  permission  of  the  owner 
of  the  field,  and  without  the  knowledge  of  the  owner  of  the 
sheep,  lets  the  sheep  into  a  field  to  graze,  then  the  owner  of 
the  field  shall  harvest  his  crop,  and  the  shepherd,  who  had 
pastured  his  flock  there  without  permission  of  the  owner  of 
the  field,  shall  pay  to  the  ovimer  twenty  gur  of  corn  for  every 
ten  gan. 

58.  If  after  the  flocks  have  left  the  pasture  and  been  shut 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  123 

up  In  the  common  fold  at  the  city  gate,  any  shepherd  let  them 
into  a  field  and  they  graze  there,  this  shepherd  shall  take 
possession  of  the  field  which  he  has  allowed  to  be  grazed  on, 
and  at  the  harvest  he  must  pay  sixty  gur  of  corn  for  every 
ten  gan. 

59.  If  any  man,  without  the  knowledge  of  the  owner  of  a 
garden,  fell  a  tree  in  a  garden  he  shall  pay  half  a  mina  in 
money. 

60.  If  any  one  give  over  a  field  to  a  gardener,  for  him  to 
plant  it  as  a  garden,  if  he  work  at  it,  and  care  for  it  for  four 
years,  in  the  fifth  year  the  owner  and  the  gardener  shall 
divide  it,  the  owner  taking  his  part  in  charge. 

61.  If  the  gardener  has  not  completed  the  planting  of  the 
field,  leaving  one  part  unused,  this  shall  be  assigned  to  him 
as  his. 

62.  If  he  do  not  plant  the  field  that  was  given  over  to  him 
as  a  garden,  if  it  be  arable  land  (for  com  or  sesame)  the  gar- 
dener shall  pay  the  owner  the  produce  of  the  field  for  the 
years  that  he  let  it  lie  fallow,  according  to  the  product  of 
neighboring  fields,  put  the  field  in  arable  condition  and  return 
it  to  its  owner. 

63.  If  he  transform  waste  land  into  arable  fields  and 
return  it  to  its  owner,  the  latter  shall  pay  him  for  one  year 
ten  gur  for  ten  gan. 

64.  If  any  one  hand  over  his  garden  to  a  gardener  to  work, 
the  gardener  shall  pay  to  its  owner  two-thirds  of  the  produce 
of  the  garden,  for  so  long  as  he  has  it  in  possession,  and  the 
other  third  shall  he  keep. 

65.  If  the  gardener  do  not  work  in  the  garden  and  the 
product  fall  off,  the  gardener  shall  pay  in  proportion  to  other 
neighboring  gardens. 

[Here  a  portion  of  the  text  is  missing,  apparently  compris- 
ing thirty-four  paragraphs.] 

100.  .  .,  .  interest  for  the  money,  as  much  as  he  has 
received,  he  shall  give  a  note  therefor,  and  on  the  day,  when 
they  settle,  pay  to  the  merchant. 

101.  If  there  are  no  mercantile  arrangements  in  the  place 


lU  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

wliitlier  hie  went,  be  sliall  leave  the  entire  amount  of  money 
which  he  received  with  the  broker  to  give  to  the  merchant. 

102.  If  a  merchant  entrust  money  to  an  agent  (broker) 
for  some  investment,  and  the  broker  sutfer  a  loss  in  the  place 
to  which  he  goes,  he  shall  make  good  the  capital  to  the 
merchant. 

103.  If,  while  on  the  journey,  an  enemy  take  away  from 
him  anything  that  he  had,  the  broker  shall  swear  by  God  ^^ 
and  be  free  of  obligation. 

104.  If  a  merchant  give  an  agent  corn,  wool,  oil,  or  any 
other  goods  to  transport,  the  agent  shall  give  a  receipt  for  the 
amount,  and  compensate  the  merchant  therefor.  Then  he 
shall  obtain  a  receipt  from  the  merchant  for  the  money  that 
he  gives  the  merchant. 

105.  If  the  agent  is  careless,  and  does  not  take  a  receipt 
for  the  money  which  he  gave  the  merchant,  he  can  not 
consider  the  unreceipted  money  as  his  own. 

106.  If  the  agent  accept  money  from  the  merchant,  but 
have  a  quarrel  with  the  merchant,-'^  then  shall  the  merchant 
swear  before  God  and  witnesses  that  he  has  given  this  money 
to  the  agent,  and  the  agent  shall  pay  him  three  times  the  sum. 

107.  If  the  merchant  cheat  the  agent,  in  that  as  the  latter 
has  returned  to  him  all  that  had  been  given  him,  but  the  mer- 
chant denies  the  receipt  of  what  had  been  returned  to  him, 
then  shall  this  agent  convict  the  merchant  before  God  and  the 
judges,  and  if  he  still  deny  receiving  what  the  agent  had 
given  him  shall  pay  six  times  the  sum  to  the  agent. 

108.  If  a  tavern-keeper  (feminine)  does  not  accept  corn 
according  to  gross  weight  in  payment  of  drink,  but  takes 
money,  and  the  price  of  the  drink  is  less  than  that  of  the  corn, 
she  shall  be  convicted  and  thrown  into  the  water. 

109.  If  conspirators  meet  in  the  house  of  a  tavern-keeper, 
and  these  conspirators  are  not  captured  and  delivered  to  the 
court,  the  tavern-keeper  shall  be  put  to  death. 

110.  If  a  "  sister  of  a  god  "  ^^  open  a  tavern,  or  enter  a 
tavern  to  drink,  then  shall  this  woman  be  burned  to  death. 

25  Take  an  oath.  27  I.e.,  one  devoted  to  the  temple. 

28  Denying  the  receipt. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  125 

111.  If  an  inn-keeper  furnish  sixty  ka  of  usakani-fiTUxk  to 
.  .  .  she  shall  receive  fifty  ka  of  corn  at  the  harvest. 

112.  If  any  one  be  on  a  journey  and  entrust  silver,  gold, 
precious  stones,  or  any  movable  property  to  another,  and  wish 
to  recover  it  from  him;  if  the  latter  do  not  bring  all  of  the 
property  to  the  appointed  place,  but  appropriate  it  to  his  own 
use,  then  shall  this  man,  who  did  not  bring  the  property  to 
hand  it  over,  be  convicted,  and  he  shall  pay  fivefold  for  all 
that  had  been  entrusted  to  him. 

113.  If  any  one  have  a  consignment  of  corn  or  money,  and 
he  take  from  the  granary  or  box  without  the  knowledge  of 
the  owner,  then  shall  he  who  took  com  without  the  knowledge 
of  the  owner  out  of  the  granary  or  money  out  of  the  box  Ijo 
legally  convicted,  and  repay  the  corn  he  has  taken.  And  he 
shall  lose  whatever  commission  was  paid  to  him,  or  due 
him. 

114.  If  a  man  have  no  claim  on  another  for  corn  and 
money,  and  try  to  demand  it  by  force,  he  shall  pay  one-third 
of  a  mina  of  silver  in  every  case. 

115.  If  any  one  have  a  claim  for  corn  or  money  upon 
another  and  imprison  him;  if  the  prisoner  die  in  prison  a 
natural  death,  the  case  shall  go  no  further. 

116.  If  the  prisoner  die  in  prison  from  blows  or  maltreat- 
ment, the  master  of  the  prisoner  shall  convict  the  merchant 
before  the  judge.  If  he  was  a  free-bom  man,  the  son  of  the 
merchant  shall  be  put  to  death ;  if  it  was  a  slave,  he  shall  pay 
one-third  of  a  mina  of  gold,  and  all  that  the  master  of  the 
prisoner  gave  he  shall  forfeit. 

117.  If  any  one  fail  to  meet  a  claim  for  debt,  and  sell  him- 
self, his  wife,  his  son,  and  daughter  for  money  or  give  them 
away  to  forced  labor:  they  shall  work  for  three  years  in  the 
house  of  the  man  who  bought  them,  or  the  proprietor,  and  v. 
the  fourth  year  they  shall  be  set  free. 

'  o     giyp     r  


.J..J.     i  any  one  fail  lo  meet  a  clc^iin  x  .    .nu  ue  sen 

the  maid  servant  who  has  borne  him  children,  for  money,  the 


126  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

money  which  the  merchant  has  paid  shall  be  repaid  to  him  by 
the  owner  of  the  slave  and  she  shall  be  freed. 

120.  If  any  one  store  corn  for  safe  keeping  in  another  per- 
son's house,  and  any  harm  happen  to  the  corn  in  storage,  or  if 
the  owner  of  the  house  open  the  granary  and  take  some  of  the 
corn,  or  if  especially  he  deny  that  the  corn  was  stored  in  his 
house :  then  the  owner  of  the  corn  shall  claim  his  com  before 
God  (on  oath),  and  the  owner  of  the  house  shall  pay  its 
owner  for  all  of  the  corn  that  he  took. 

121.  If  any  one  store  corn  in  another  man's  house  he  shall 
pay  him  storage  at  the  rate  of  one  gur  for  every  five  ka  of 
corn  per  year. 

122.  If  any  one  give  another  silver,  gold,  or  anything  else 
to  keep,  he  shall  show  everA,i:hing  to  some  witness,  draw  up  a 
contract,  and  then  hand  it  over  for  safe  keeping. 

123.  If  he  turn  it  over  for  safe  keeping  without  witness  or 
contract,  and  if  he  to  whom  it  was  given  deny  it,  then  he  has 
no  legitimate  claim. 

124.  If  any  one  deliver  silver,  gold,  or  an\'thing  else  to 
another  for  safe  keeping,  before  a  witness,  but  he  deny  it,  he 
shall  be  brought  before  a  judge,  and  all  that  he  has  denied  he 
shall  pay  in  full. 

125.  If  any  one  place  his  property  with  another  for  safe 
keeping,  and  there,  either  through  thieves  or  robbers,  his 
property  and  the  property  of  the  other  man  be  lost,  the  owner 
of  the  house,  through  whose  neglect  the  loss  took  place,  shall 
compensate  the  o\vmer  for  all  that  was  given  to  him  in  charge. 
But  the  owner  of  the  house  shall  try  to  follow  up  and  recover 
his  property,  and  take  it  away  from  the  thief. 

126.  If  any  one  who  has  not  lost  his  goods  state  that  they 
have  been  lost,  and  make  false  claims :  if  he  claim  his  goods 
and  amount  of  injury  before  God,  even  though  he  has  not 
lost  them,  he  shall  be  fully  compensated  for  all  his  loss 
claimed.-^ 

127.  If  any  one  "  point  the  finger  "  (slander)  at  a  sister 
of  a  god  or  the  wife  of  any  one,  and  can  not  prove  it,  this  man 

28 /.e.,  the  oath  is  all  that  is  needed. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  127 

shall   be   taken   before   the  judges   and   his   brow   shall   be 
marked.^^ 

128.  If  a  man  take  a  woman  to  wife,  but  have  no  inter- 
course with  her,  this  woman  is  no  wife  to  him. 

129.  If  a  man's  wife  be  surprised  with  another  man,  both 
shall  be  tied  and  thrown  into  the  water,  but  the  husband  may 
pardon  his  wife  and  the  king  his  slaves. 

130.  If  a  man  violate  the  wife  (betrothed  or  child-wife)  of 
another  man,  who  has  never  knowTi  a  man,  and  still  lives  in 
her  father's  house,  and  sleep  with  her  and  be  surprised,  this 
man  shall  be  put  to  death,  but  the  wife  is  blameless. 

131.  If  a  man  bring  a  charge  against  one's  wife,  but  she  is 
not  surprised  with  another  man,^'^  she  must  take  an  oath  and 
then  may  return  to  her  house. 

132.  If  the  "  finger  is  pointed  "  at  a  man's  wife  about 
another  man,  but  she  is  not  caught  sleeping  with  the  other 
man,  she  shall  jump  into  the  river  for  her  husband.^^ 

133.  If  a  man  is  taken  prisoner  in  war,  and  there  is  a  sus- 
tenance in  his  house,  but  his  wife  leave  house  and  court,  and 
go  to  another  house :  because  this  wife  did  not  keep  her  court, 
and  went  to  another  house,  she  shall  be  judicially  condemned 
and  thrown  into  the  water. 

134.  If  any  one  be  captured  in  war  and  there  is  no  suste- 
nance in  his  house,  if  then  his  wife  go  to  another  house  this 
woman  shall  be  held  blameless. 

135.  If  a  man  be  taken  prisoner  in  war  and  there  be  no 
sustenance  in  his  house  and  his  wife  go  to  another  house  and 
bear  children ;  and  if  later  her  husband  return  and  come  to 
his  home :  then  this  wife  shall  return  to  her  husband,  but  the 
children  follow  their  father. 

136.  If  any  one  leave  his  house,  run  away,  and  then  his 
wife  go  to  another  house,  if  then  he  return,  and  wishes  to 
take  his  wife  back:  because  he  fled  from  his  home  and  ran 
away,  the  wife  of  this  runaway  shall  not  return  to  her 
husband. 

29  By  cutting  the  skin,  or  perhaps  hair. 

30  Delit  flagrant  is  necessary  for  divorce. 

31  Prove  her  innocence  bv  this  test. 


128  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

137.  If  a  man  wish  to  separate  from  a  woman  who  has 
borne  him  children,  or  from  his  wife  who  has  borne  him  chil- 
dren: then  he  shall  give  that  wife  her  dowry,  and  a  part  of 
the  usufruct  of  field,  garden,  and  property,  so  that  she  can 
rear  her  children.  When  she  has  brought  up  her  children,  a 
portion  of  all  that  is  given  to  the  children,  equal  as  that  of  one 
son,  shall  be  given  to  her.  She  many  then  marry  the  man  of 
her  heart. 

138.  If  a  man  wishes  to  separate  from  his  wife  who  has 
borne  him  no  children,  he  shall  give  her  the  amount  of  her 
purchase  money  ^^  and  the  dowry  which  she  brought  from 
her  father's  house,  and  let  her  go. 

139.  If  there  was  no  purchase  price  he  shall  give  her  one 
mina  of  gold  as  a  gift  of  release. 

140.  If  he  be  a  freed  man  he  shall  give  her  one-third  of  a 
mina  of  gold. 

141.  If  a  man's  wife,  who  lives  in  his  house,  wishes  to 
leave  it,  plunges  into  debt,  tries  to  ruin  her  house,  neglects  her 
husband,  and  is  judicially  convicted :  if  her  husband  offer  her 
release,  she  may  go  on  her  way,  and  he  gives  her  nothing  as  a 
gift  of  release.  If  her  husband  does  not  wish  to  release  her, 
and  if  he  take  another  wife,  she  shall  remain  as  servant  in  her 
husband's  house. 

142.  If  a  woman  quarrel  with  her  husband,  and  say: 
"  You  are  not  congenial  to  me,"  the  reasons  for  her  prejudice 
must  be  presented.  If  she  is  guiltless,  and  there  is  no  fault 
on  her  part,  but  he  leaves  and  neglects  her,  then  no  guilt 
attaches  to  this  woman,  she  shall  take  her  dowry  and  go  back 
to  her  father's  house. 

143.  If  she  is  not  innocent,  but  leaves  her  husband,  and 
ruins  her  house,  neglecting  her  husband,  this  woman  shall  be 
cast  into  the  water. 

144.  If  a  man  take  a  wife  and  this  woman  give  her  hus- 
band a  maid-servant,  and  she  bear  him  children,  but  this  man 
wishes  to  take  another  wife,  this  shall  not  be  permitted  to 
him ;  he  shall  not  take  a  second  wife. 

145.  If  a  man  take  a  wife,  and  she  bear  him  no  children, 
32  The  amount  formerly  paid  to  the  bride's  father. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  129 

and  lie  intend  to  take  another  wife:  if  he  take  this  second 
wife,  and  bring  her  into  the  house,  this  second  wife  shall  not 
be  allowed  equality  with  his  wife. 

146.  If  a  man  take  a  wife  and  she  give  this  man  a  maid- 
servant as  wife  and  she  bear  him  children,  and  then  this 
maid  assume  equality  with  the  wife:  because  she  has  borne 
him  children  her  master  shall  not  sell  her  for  money,  but  he 
may  keep  her  as  a  slave,  reckoning  her  among  the  maid- 
servants. 

147.  If  she  have  not  borne  him  children,  then  her  mistress 
may  sell  her  for  money. 

148.  If  a  man  take  a  wife,  and  she  be  seized  by  disease,  if 
he  then  desire  to  take  a  second  wife  he  shall  not  put  away  his 
wife,  who  has  been  attacked  by  disease,  but  he  shall  keep  her 
in  the  house  which  he  has  built  and  support  her  so  long  as  she 
lives. 

149.  If  this  woman  does  not  wish  to  remain  in  her  hus- 
band's house,  then  he  shall  compensate  her  for  the  dowry  that 
she  brought  with  her  from  her  father's  house,  and  she  may  go. 

150.  If  a  man  give  his  wife  a  field,  garden,  and  house  and 
a  deed  therefor,  if  then  after  the  death  of  her  husband  the 
sons  raise  no  claim,  then  the  mother  may  bequeath  all  to  one 
of  her  sons  whom  she  prefers,  and  need  leave  nothing  to  his 
brothers. 

151.  If  a  woman  who  lived  in  a  man's  house  made  an 
agreement  with  her  husband,  that  no  creditor  can  arrest  her, 
and  has  given  a  document  therefor :  if  that  man,  before  he 
married  that  woman,  had  a  debt,  the  creditor  can  not  hold  the 
woman  for  it.  But  if  the  woman,  before  she  entered  the 
man's  house,  had  contracted  a  debt,  her  creditor  can  not  arrest 
her  husband  therefor. 

152.  If  after  the  woman  had  entered  the  man's  house,  both 
contracted  a  debt,  both  must  pay  the  merchant. 

153.  If  the  wife  of  one  man  on  account  of  another  man  has 
their  mates  (her  husband  and  the  other  man's  wife) 
murdered,  both  of  them  shall  be  impaled. 

154.  If  a  man  be  guilty  of  incest  with  his  daughter,  he 
shall  be  driven  from  the  place  (exiled). 

VOL.  I.— 9. 


130  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

155.  If  a  man  betroth  a  girl  to  his  son,  and  his  son  have 
intercourse  with  her,  but  he  (the  father)  afterward  defile  her, 
and  be  surprised,  then  he  shall  be  bound  and  cast  into  the 
water  (drowned). 

156.  If  a  man  betroth  a  girl  to  his  son,  but  his  son  has  not 
knowqi  her,  and  if  then  he  defile  her,  he  shall  pay  her  half  a 
gold  mina,  and  compensate  her  for  all  that  she  brought  out  of 
her  father's  house.     She  may  marry  the  man  of  her  heart. 

15T.  If  any  one  be  guilty  of  incest  with  his  mother  after 
his  father,  both  shall  be  burned. 

158.  If  any  one  be  surprised  after  his  father  with  his  chief 
wife,  who  has  borne  children,  he  shall  be  driven  out  of  his 
father's  house. 

159.  If  any  one,  who  has  brought  chattels  into  his  father- 
in-law's  house,  and  has  paid  the  purchase-money,  looks  for 
another  wife,  and  says  to  his  father-in-law :  "  I  do  not  want 
your  daughter,"  the  girl's  father  may  keep  all  that  he  had 
brought. 

160.  If  a  man  bring  chattels  into  the  house  of  his  father- 
in-law,  and  pay  the  "  purchase  price  "  (for  his  wife)  :  if  then 
the  father  of  the  girl  say :  "  I  will  not  give  you  my  daughter," 
he  shall  give  him  back  all  that  he  brought  with  him. 

161.  If  a  man  bring  chattels  into  his  father-in-law's  house 
and  pay  the  "  purchase  price,"  if  then  his  friend  slander  him, 
and  his  father-in-law  say  to  the  young  husband :  "  You  shall 
not  marry  my  daughter,"  then  he  shall  give  back  to  him  un- 
diminished all  that  he  had  brought  with  him;  but  his  wife 
shall  not  be  married  to  the  friend. 

162.  If  a  man  marry  a  woman,  and  she  bear  sons  to  him ; 
if  then  this  -w^man  die,  then  shall  her  father  have  no  claim  on 
her  dowry ;  this  belongs  to  her  sons. 

163.  If  a  man  marry  a  woman  and  she  bear  him  no  sons ; 
if  then  this  woman  die,  if  the  "  purchase  price  "  which  he  had 
paid  into  the  house  of  his  father-in-law  is  repaid  to  him,  her 
husband  shall  have  no  claim  upon  the  dowry  of  this  woman ; 
it  belongs  to  her  father's  house. 

164.  If  his  father-in-law  do  not  pay  back  to  him  the 
amount  of  the  "  purchase  price  "  he  may  subtract  the  amount 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  131 

of  the  "  purchase  price  "  from  the  dowry,  and  then  pay  the 
remainder  to  her  father's  house. 

165.  If  a  man  give  to  one  of  his  sons  whom  he  prefers  a 
field,  garden,  and  house,  and  a  deed  therefor:  if  later  the 
father  die,  and  the  brothers  divide  the  estate,  then  they  shall 
first  give  him  the  present  of  his  father,  and  he  shall  accept  it ; 
and  the  rest  of  the  paternal  property  shall  they  divide. 

166.  If  a  man  take  wives  for  his  son,  but  take  no  wife  for 
his  minor  son,  and  if  then  he  die :  if  the  sons  divide  the  estate, 
they  shall  set  aside  besides  his  portion  the  money  for  the 
"  purchase  price  "  for  the  minor  brother  who  had  taken  no 
wife  as  yet,  and  secure  a  wife  for  him. 

167.  If  a  man  marry  a  wife  and  she  bear  him  children:  if 
this  wife  die  and  he  then  take  another  wife  and  she  bear  him 
children :  if  then  the  father  die,  the  sons  must  not  partition 
the  estate  according  to  the  mothers,  they  shall  divide  the 
dowries  of  their  mothers  only  in  this  way ;  the  paternal  estate 
they  shall  divide  equally  with  one  another. 

168.  If  a  man  wish  to  put  his  son  out  of  his  house,  and 
declare  before  the  judge :  "  I  want  to  put  my  son  out,"  then 
the  judge  shall  examine  into  his  reasons.  If  the  son  be  guilty 
of  no  great  fault,  for  which  he  can  be  rightfully  put  out,  the 
father  shall  not  put  him  out. 

169.  If  he  be  guilty  of  a  grave  fault,  which  should  right- 
fully deprive  him  of  the  filial  relationship,  the  father  shall 
forgive  him  the  first  time ;  but  if  he  be  guilty  of  a  grave  fault 
a  second  time  the  father  may  deprive  his  son  of  all  filial 
relation. 

170.  If  his  wife  bear  sons  to  a  man,  or  his  maid-servant 
have  borne  sons,  and  the  father  while  still  living  says  to  the 
children  whom  his  maid-servant  has  borne :  "  My  sons,"  and 
he  count  them  with  the  sons  of  his  wife;  if  then  the  father 
die,  then  the  sons  of  the  wife  and  of  the  maid-servant  shall 
divide  the  paternal  property  in  common.  The  son  of  the 
wife  is  to  partition  and  choose. 

171.  If,  however,  the  father  while  still  living  did  not  say 
to  the  sons  of  the  maid-servant :  "  My  sons,"  and  then  the 
father  dies,  then  the  sons  of  the  maid-servant  shall  not  share 


132  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

with  the  sons  of  the  wife,  but  the  freedom  of  the  maid  and 
her  sons  shall  be  granted.  The  sons  of  the  wife  shall  have 
no  right  to  enslave  the  sons  of  the  maid ;  the  wife  shall  take 
her  dowry  (from  her  father),  and  the  gift  that  her  husband 
gave  her  and  deeded  to  her  (separate  from  dowry,  or  the  pur- 
chase-money paid  her  father),  and  live  in  the  home  of  her 
husband:  so  long  as  she  lives  she  shall  use  it,  it  shall  not  be 
sold  for  money.  Whatever  she  leaves  shall  belong  to  her 
children. 

172.  If  her  husband  made  her  no  gift,  she  shall  be  compen- 
sated for  her  gift,  and  she  shall  receive  a  portion  from  the 
estate  of  her  husband,  equal  to  that  of  one  child.  If  her  sons 
oppress  her,  to  force  her  out  of  the  house,  the  judge  shall 
examine  into  the  matter,  and  if  the  sons  are  at  fault  the 
woman  shall  not  leave  her  husband's  house.  If  the  woman 
desire  to  leave  the  house,  she  must  leave  to  her  sons  the  gift 
which  her  husband  gave  her,  but  she  may  take  the  dowry  of 
her  father's  house.  Then  she  may  marry  the  man  of  her 
heart. 

173.  If  this  woman  bear  sons  to  her  second  husband,  in 
the  place  to  which  she  went,  and  then  die,  her  earlier  and 
later  sons  shall  divide  the  dowry  between  them. 

174.  If  she  bear  no  sons  to  her  second  husband,  the  sons 
of  her  first  husband  shall  have  the  dowry. 

175.  If  a  State  slave  or  the  slave  of  a  freed  man  marry  the 
daughter  of  a  free  man,  and  children  are  born,  the  master  of 
the  slave  shall  have  no  right  to  enslave  the  children  of  the 
free. 

176.  If,  however,  a  State  slave  or  the  slave  of  a  freed  man 
marry  a  man's  daughter,  and  after  he  marries  her  she  bring  a 
dowry  from  a  father's  house,  if  then  they  both  enjoy  it  and 
found  a  household,  and  accumulate  means,  if  then  the  slave 
die,  then  she  who  was  free  born  may  take  her  dowry,  and  all 
that  her  husband  and  she  had  earned ;  she  shall  divide  them 
into  two  parts,  one-half  the  master  for  the  slave  shall  take, 
and  the  other  half  shall  the  free-born  woman  take  for  her 
children.  If  the  free-born  woman  had  no  gift  she  shall  take 
all  that  her  husband  and  she  had  earned  and  divide  it  into 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  133 

two  parts ;  and  the  master  of  the  slave  shall  take  one-half  and 
she  shall  take  the  other  for  her  children. 

177.  If  a  widow,  whose  children  are  not  grown,  wishes  to 
enter  another  house  (remarry),  she  shall  not  enter  it  without 
the  knowledge  of  the  judge.  If  she  enter  another  house  the 
judge  shall  examine  the  state  of  the  house  of  her  first  hus- 
band. Then  the  house  of  her  first  husband  shall  be  entrusted 
to  the  second  husband  and  the  woman  herself  as  managers. 
And  a  record  must  be  made  thereof.  She  shall  keep  the 
house  in  order,  bring  up  the  children,  and  not  sell  the  house- 
hold utensils.  He  who  buys  the  utensils  of  the  children  of  a 
widow  shall  lose  his  money,  and  the  goods  shall  return  to 
their  owners. 

178.  If  a  "  devoted  woman ''  or  a  prostitute  ^^  to  whom 
her  father  has  given  a  dov^ry  and  a  deed  therefor,  but  if  in 
this  deed  it  is  not  stated  that  she  may  bequeath  it  as  she 
pleases,  and  has  not  explicitly  stated  that  she  has  the  right  of 
disposal ;  if  then  her  father  die,  then  her  brothers  shall  hold 
her  field  and  garden,  and  give  her  corn,  oil,  and  milk  accord- 
ing to  her  portion,  and  satisfy  her.  If  her  brothers  do  not 
give  her  com,  oil,  and  milk  according  to  her  share,  then  her 
field  and  garden  shall  be  given  to  a  farmer  whom  she  chooses 
and  the  farmer  shall  support  her.  She  shall  have  the 
usufruct  of  field  and  garden  and  all  that  her  father  gave  her 
so  long  as  she  lives,  but  she  can  not  sell  or  assign  it  to  others. 
Her  position  of  inheritance  belongs  to  her  brothers. 

179.  If  a  "  sister  of  a  god,"  ^*  or  a  prostitute,  receive  a 
gift  from  her  father,  and  a  deed  in  which  it  has  been  ex- 
plicitly stated  that  she  may  dispose  of  it  as  she  pleases,  and 
give  her  complete  disposition  thereof :  if  then  her  father  die, 
then  she  may  leave  her  property  to  whomsoever  she  pleases. 
Her  brothers  can  raise  no  claim  thereto. 

180.  If  a  father  give  a  present  to  his  daughter  —  either 
marriageable  or  a  prostitute  (unmarriageable)  —  and  then 
die,  then  she  is  to  receive  a  portion  as  a  child  from  the  pater- 

33  Connected  with  the  temple  neither  can  marry. 

34  The  hire  of  whom  went  to  the  revenue  of  the  temple,  counterpart 
to  the  public  prostitute. 


134  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

nal  estate,  and  enjoy  its  usufruct  so  long  as  she  lives.     Her 
estate  belongs  to  her  brothers. 

181.  If  a  father  devote  a  temple-maid  or  temple-virgin  to 
God  and  give  her  no  present :  if  then  the  father  die,  she  shall 
receive  the  third  of  a  child's  portion  from  the  inheritance  of 
her  father's  house,  and  enjoy  its  usufruct  so  long  as  she  lives. 
Her  estate  belongs  to  her  brothers. 

182.  If  a  father  devote  his  daughter  as  a  wife  of  Marduk 
of  Babylon  (as  in  181),  and  give  her  no  present,  nor  a  deed; 
if  then  her  father  die,  then  shall  she  receive  one-third  of  her 
portion  as  a  child  of  her  father's  house  from  her  brothers,  but 
she  shall  not  have  the  management  thereof.  A  wife  of 
Marduk  may  leave  her  estate  to  whomsoever  she  wishes. 

183.  If  a  man  give  his  daughter  by  a  concubine  a  dowry, 
and  a  husband,  and  a  deed ;  if  then  her  father  die,  she  shall 
receive  no  portion  from  the  paternal  estate. 

184.  If  a  man  do  not  give  a  dowry  to  his  daughter  by  a 
concubine,  and  no  husband ;  if  then  her  father  die,  her  brother 
shall  give  her  a  dowry  according  to  her  father's  wealth  and 
secure  a  husband  for  her. 

185.  If  a  man  adopt  a  child  and  to  his  name  as  son,  and 
rear  him,  this  grown  son  can  not  be  demanded  back  again. 

186.  If  a  man  adopt  a  son,  and  if  after  he  has  taken  him 
he  injure  his  foster  father  and  mother,  then  this  adopted  son 
shall  return  to  his  father's  house. 

187.  The  son  of  a  paramour  in  the  palace  service,  or  of  a 
prostitute,  can  not  be  demanded  back. 

188.  If  an  artizan  has  undertaken  to  rear  a  child  and 
teaches  him  his  craft,  he  can  not  be  demanded  back. 

189.  If  he  has  not  taught  him  his  craft,  this  adopted  son 
may  return  to  his  father's  house. 

190.  If  a  man  does  not  maintain  a  child  that  he  has 
adopted  as  a  son  and  reared  with  his  other  children,  then  his 
adopted  son  may  return  to  his  father's  house. 

191.  If  a  man,  who  had  adopted  a  son  and  reared  him, 
founded  a  household,  and  had  children,  wish  to  put  this 
adopted  son  out,  then  this  son  shall  not  simply  go  his  way. 
His  adoptive  father  shall  give  him  of  his  wealth  one-third  of 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  135 

a  child's  portion,  and  then  he  may  go.     He  shall  not  give  him 
of  the  field,  garden,  and  house. 

192.  If  a  son  of  a  paramour  or  a  prostitute  say  to  his 
adoptive  father  or  mother :  "  You  are  not  my  father,  or  my 
mother,"  his  tongue  shall  be  cut  off. 

193.  If  the  son  of  a  paramour  or  a  prostitute  desire  his 
father's  house,  and  desert  his  adoptive  father  and  adoptive 
mother,  and  goes  to  his  father's  house,  then  shall  his  eye  be 
put  out. 

194.  If  a  man  give  his  child  to  a  nurse  and  the  child  die  in 
her  hands,  but  the  nurse  unbeknown  to  the  father  and  mother 
nurse  another  child,  then  they  shall  convict  her  of  having 
nursed  another  child  without  the  knowledge  of  the  father  and 
mother  and  her  breasts  shall  be  cut  off. 

195.  If  a  son  strike  his  father,  his  hands  shall  be  hewn 
off. 

196.  If  a  man  put  out  the  eye  of  another  man,  his  eye  shall 
be  put  out. 

197.  If  he  break  another  man's  bone,  his  bone  shall  be 
broken. 

198.  If  he  put  out  the  eye  of  a  freed  man,  or  break  the 
bone  of  a  freed  man,  he  shall  pay  one  gold  mina. 

199.  If  he  put  out  the  eye  of  a  man's  slave,  or  break  the 
bone  of  a  man's  slave,  he  shall  pay  one-half  of  its  value. 

200.  If  a  man  knock  out  the  teeth  of  his  equal,  his  teeth 
shall  be  knocked  out. 

201.  If  he  knock  out  the  teeth  of  a  freed  man,  he  shall  pay 
one-third  of  a  gold  mina. 

202.  If  any  one  strike  the  body  of  a  man  higher  in  rank 
than  he,  he  shall  receive  sixty  blows  with  an  ox-whip  in 
public. 

203.  If  a  free-born  man  strike  the  body  of  another  free- 
bom  man  of  equal  rank,  he  shall  pay  one  gold  mina. 

204.  If  a  freed  man  strike  the  body  of  another  freed  man, 
he  shall  pay  ten  shekels  in  money. 

205.  If  the  slave  of  a  freed  man  strike  the  body  of  a  freed 
man,  his  ear  shall  be  cut  off. 

206.  If  during   a   quarrel   one   man   strike   another   and 


136  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

wound  him,  then  he  shall  swear,  "  I  did  not  injure  him  wit- 
tingly," and  pay  the  physicians. 

207.  If  the  man  die  of  his  wound,  he  shall  swear  similarly, 
and  if  he  (the  deceased)  was  a  free-bom  man,  he  shall  pay 
half  a  mina  in  money. 

208.  If  he  was  a  freed  man,  he  shall  pay  one-third  of  a 
mina. 

209.  If  a  man  strike  a  free-bom  woman  so  that  she  lose 
her  unborn  child,  he  shall  pay  ten  shekels  for  her  loss. 

210.  If  the  woman  die,  his  daughter  shall  be  put  to  death. 

211.  If  a  woman  of  the  freed  class  lose  her  child  by  a  blow, 
he  shall  pay  five  shekels  in  money. 

212.  If  this  woman  die,  he  shall  pay  half  a  mina. 

213.  If  he  strike  the  maid-servant  of  a  man,  and  she  lose 
her  child,  he  shall  pay  two  shekels  in  money. 

214.  If  this  maid-servant  die,  he  shall  pay  one-third  of  a 
mina. 

215.  If  a  physician  make  a  large  incision  with  an  operat- 
ing knife  and  cure  it,  or  if  he  open  a  tumor  (over  the  eye) 
with  an  operating  knife,  and  saves  the  eye,  he  shall  receive 
ten  shekels  in  money. 

216.  If  the  patient  be  a  freed  man,  he  receives  five  shekels. 

217.  If  he  be  the  slave  of  some  one,  his  owner  shall  give 
the  physician  two  shekels. 

218.  If  a  physician  make  a  large  incision  with  the  operat- 
ing knife,  and  kill  him,  or  open  a  tumor  with  the  operating 
knife,  and  cut  out  the  eye,  his  hands  shall  be  cut  off. 

219.  If  a  physician  make  a  large  incision  in  the  slave  of  a 
freed  man,  and  kill  him,  he  shall  replace  the  slave  with 
another  slave. 

220.  If  he  had  opened  a  tumor  with  the  operating  knife, 
and  put  out  his  eye,  he  shall  pay  half  his  value. 

221.  If  a  physician  heal  the  broken  bone  or  diseased  soft 
part  of  a  man,  the  patient  shall  pay  the  physician  five  shekels 
in  money. 

222.  If  he  were  a  freed  man  he  shall  pay  three  shekels. 

223.  If  he  were  a  slave  his  owner  shall  pay  the  physician 
two  shekels. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  137 

224.  If  a  veterinary  surgeon  perform  a  serious  operation 
on  an  ass  or  an  ox,  and  cure  it,  the  owner  shall  pay  the  sur- 
geon one-sixth  of  a  shekel  as  fee. 

225.  If  he  perform  a  serious  operation  on  an  ass  or  ox,  and 
kill  it,  he  shall  pay  the  owner  one-fourth  of  its  value. 

226.  If  a  barber,  without  the  knowledge  of  his  master,  cut 
the  sign  of  a  slave  on  a  slave  not  to  be  sold,  the  hands  of  this 
barber  shall  be  cut  off. 

227.  If  any  one  deceive  a  barber,  and  have  him  mark  a 
slave  not  for  sale  with  the  sign  of  a  slave,  he  shall  be  put  to 
death,  and  buried  in  his  house.  The  barber  shall  swear :  "  I 
did  not  mark  him  wittingly,"  and  shall  be  guiltless. 

228.  If  a  builder  build  a  house  for  some  one  and  complete 
it,  he  shall  give  him  a  fee  of  two  shekels  in  money  for  each 
sar  of  surface. 

229.  If  a  builder  build  a  house  for  some  one,  and  does  not 
construct  it  properly,  and  the  house  which  he  built  fall  in  and 
kill  its  owner,  then  that  builder  shall  be  put  to  death. 

230.  If  it  kill  the  son  of  the  owner  the  son  of  that  builder 
shall  be  put  to  death. 

231.  If  it  kill  a  slave  of  the  owner,  then  he  shall  pay  slave 
for  slave  to  the  owner  of  the  house. 

232.  If  it  ruin  goods,  he  shall  make  compensation  for  all 
that  has  been  ruined,  and  inasmuch  as  he  did  not  construct 
properly  this  house  which  he  built  and  it  fell,  he  shall  re-erect 
the  house  from  his  own  means. 

233.  If  a  builder  build  a  house  for  some  one,  even  though 
he  has  not  yet  completed  it ;  if  then  the  walls  seem  toppling, 
the  builder  must  make  the  walls  solid  from  his  own  means. 

234.  If  a  shipbuilder  build  a  boat  of  sixty  gur  for  a  man, 
he  shall  pay  him  a  fee  of  two  shekels  in  money. 

235.  If  a  shipbuilder  build  a  boat  for  some  one,  and  do  not 
make  it  tight,  if  during  that  same  year  that  boat  is  sent  away 
and  suffers  injury,  the  shipbuilder  shall  take  the  boat  apart 
and  put  it  together  tight  at  his  own  expense.  The  tight  boat 
he  shall  give  to  the  boat  owner, 

236.  If  a  man  rent  his  boat  to  a  sailor,  and  the  sailor  is 
careless,  and  the  boat  is  wrecked  or  goes  aground,  the  sailor 


138  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

shall  give  the  owner  of  the  boat  another  boat  as  compensa- 
tion. 

237.  If  a  man  hire  a  sailor  and  his  boat,  and  provide  it 
with  com,  clothing,  oil  and  dates,  and  other  things  of  the  kind 
needed  for  fitting  it:  if  the  sailor  is  careless,  the  boat  is 
wrecked,  and  its  contents  ruined,  then  the  sailor  shall  com- 
pensate for  the  boat  which  was  wrecked  and  all  in  it  that  he 
ruined. 

238.  If  a  sailor  wreck  any  one's  ship,  but  saves  it,  he  shall 
pay  the  half  of  its  value  in  money. 

239.  If  a  man  hire  a  sailor,  he  shall  pay  him  six  gur  of 
corn  per  year. 

240.  If  a  merchantman  run  against  a  ferryboat,  and  wreck 
it,  the  master  of  the  ship  that  was  wrecked  shall  seek  justice 
before  God;  the  master  of  the  merchantman,  which  wrecked 
the  ferryboat,  must  compensate  the  owner  for  the  boat  and  all 
that  he  ruined. 

241.  If  any  one  impresses  an  ox  for  forced  labor,  he  shall 
pay  one-third  of  a  mina  in  money. 

242.  If  any  one  hire  oxen  for  a  year,  he  shall  pay  four  gur 
of  corn  for  plow-oxen. 

243.  As  rent  of  herd  cattle  he  shall  pay  three  gur  of  corn 
to  the  owner. 

244.  If  any  one  hire  an  ox  or  an  ass,  and  a  lion  kill  it  in 
the  field,  the  loss  is  upon  its  owner. 

245.  If  any  one  hire  oxen,  and  kill  them  by  bad  treatment 
or  blows,  he  shall  compensate  the  owner,  oxen  for  oxen. 

246.  If  a  man  hire  an  ox,  and  he  break  its  leg  or  cut  the 
ligament  of  its  neck,  he  shall  compensate  the  owner  with  ox 
for  ox. 

247.  If  any  one  hire  an  ox,  and  put  out  its  eye,  he  shall  pay 
the  owner  one-half  of  its  value. 

248.  If  any  one  hire  an  ox,  and  break  off  a  horn,  or  cut  off 
its  tail,  or  hurt  its  muzzle,  he  shall  pay  one-fourth  of  its  value 
in  money. 

249.  If  any  one  hire  an  ox,  and  God  strike  it  that  it  die, 
the  man  who  hired  it  shall  swear  by  God  and  be  considered 
guiltless. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  139 

250.  If  while  an  ox  is  passing  on  the  street  (market)  some 
one  push  it,  and  kill  it,  the  owner  can  set  up  no  claim  in  the 
suit  (against  the  hirer). 

251.  If  an  ox  be  a  goring  ox,  and  it  shown  that  he  is  a 
gorer,  and  he  do  not  bind  his  horns,  or  fasten  the  ox  up,  and 
the  ox  gore  a  free-born  man  and  kill  him,  the  owner  shall  pay 
one-half  a  mina  in  money. 

252.  If  he  kill  a  man's  slave,  he  shall  pay  one-third  of  a 
mina. 

253.  If  any  one  agree  with  another  to  tend  his  field,  give 
him  seed,  entrust  a  yoke  of  oxen  to  him,  and  bind  him  to  cul- 
tivate the  field,  if  he  steal  the  corn  or  plants,  and  take  them 
for  himself,  his  hands  shall  be  hewn  off. 

254.  If  he  take  the  seed-corn  for  himself,  and  do  not  use 
the  yoke  of  oxen,  he  shall  compensate  him  for  the  amount  of 
the  seed-corn. 

255.  If  he  sublet  the  man's  yoke  of  oxen  or  steal  the  seed- 
corn,  planting  nothing  in  the  field,  he  shall  be  convicted,  and 
for  each  one  hundred  gan  he  shall  pay  sixty  gur  of  corn. 

256.  If  his  community  will  not  pay  for  him,  then  he  shall 
be  placed  in  that  field  with  the  cattle  (at  work). 

257.  If  any  one  hire  a  field  laborer,  he  shall  pay  him  eight 
gur  of  com  per  year. 

258.  If  any  one  hire  an  ox-driver,  he  shall  pay  him  six  gur 
of  com  per  year. 

259.  If  any  one  steal  a  water-wheel  from  the  field,  he  shall 
pay  five  shekels  in  money  to  its  owner. 

260.  If  any  one  steal  a  shadduf  ^^  or  a  plow,  he  shall  pay 
three  shekels  in  money. 

261.  If  any  one  hire  a  herdsman  for  cattle  or  sheep,  he 
shall  pay  him  eight  gur  of  com  per  annum. 

262.  If  any  one,  a  cow  or  a  sheep  .  .  .^^ 

263.  If  he  kill  the  cattle  or  sheep  that  were  given  to  him, 
he  shall  compensate  the  owner  with  cattle  for  cattle  and  sheep 
for  sheep. 

264.  If  a  herdsman,  to  whom  cattle  or  sheep  have  been  en- 

35  Used  to  draw  water  from  the  river  or  canal. 

36  This  portion  of  the  stone  is  broken  off. 


140  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

trusted  for  watching  over,  and  who  has  received  his  wages  as 
agreed  upon,  and  is  satisfied,  diminish  the  number  of  the  cat- 
tle or  sheep,  or  make  the  increase  by  birth  less,  he  shall  make 
good  the  increase  or  profit  which  was  lost  in  the  terms  of 
settlement. 

265.  If  a  herdsman,  to  whose  care  cattle  or  sheep  have 
been  entrusted,  be  guilty  of  fraud  and  make  false  returns  of 
the  natural  increase,  or  sell  them  for  money,  then  shall  he  be 
convicted  and  pay  the  owner  ten  times  the  loss. 

266.  If  the  animal  be  killed  in  the  stable  by  God  (an  acci- 
dent), or  if  a  lion  kill  it,  the  herdsman  shall  declare  his  inno- 
cence before  God,  and  the  owner  bears  the  accident  in  the 
stable. 

267.  If  the  herdsman  overlook  something,  and  an  accident 
happen  in  the  stable,  then  the  herdsman  is  at  fault  for  the 
accident  which  he  has  caused  in  the  stable,  and  he  must  com- 
pensate the  owner  for  the  cattle  or  sheep. 

268.  If  any  one  hire  an  ox  for  threshing,  the  amount  of 
the  hire  is  twenty  ha  of  corn. 

269.  If  he  hire  an  ass  for  threshing,  the  hire  is  twenty  ha 
of  corn. 

270.  If  he  hire  a  young  animal  for  threshing,  the  hire  is 
ten  ha  of  corn. 

271.  If  any  one  hire  oxen,  cart  and  driver,  he  shall  pay 
one  hundred  and  eighty  ha  of  corn  per  day. 

272.  If  any  one  hire  a  cart  alone,  he  shall  pay  forty  ha  of 
corn  per  day. 

273.  If  any  one  hire  a  day  laborer,  he  shall  pay  him  from 
the  New  Year  until  the  fifth  month  ^'^  six  gerahs  in  money 
per  day ;  from  the  sixth  month  to  the  end  of  the  year  he  shall 
give  him  five  gerahs  per  day. 

274.  If  any  one  hire  a  skilled  artizan,  he  shall  pay  as 
wages  of  the  .  .  .  five  gerahs,  as  wages  of  the  potter  five 
gerahs,  of  a  tailor  five  gerahs,  of  .  .  .  gerahs,  .  .  .  of  .  .  . 
gerahs,  .  .  .  of  .  .  .  gerahs,  of  a  carpenter  four  gerahs,  of  a 
ropemaker  four  gerahs,  of  .  .  .  gerahs,  of  a  mason  .  .  . 
gerahs  per  day. 

87  April  to  August,  when  days  are  long  and  the  work  hard. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  141 

275.  If  any  one  hire  a  ferryboat,  he  shall  pay  three  gerahs 
in  money  per  day. 

276.  If  he  hire  a  freight-boat,  he  shall  pay  two  and  one- 
half  gerahs  per  day. 

277.  If  any  one  hire  a  ship  of  sixty  gur,  he  shall  pay  one- 
sixth  of  a  shekel  in  money  as  its  hire  per  day. 

278.  If  any  one  buy  a  male  or  female  slave,  and  before  a 
month  has  elapsed  the  6enw-disease  be  developed,  he  shall 
return  the  slave  to  the  seller,  and  receive  the  money  which  he 
had  paid. 

279.  If  any  one  buy  a  male  or  female  slave,  and  a  third 
party  claim  it,  the  seller  is  liable  for  the  claim. 

280.  If  while  in  a  foreign  country  a  man  buy  a  male  or 
female  slave  belonging  to  another  of  his  own  country ;  if  when 
he  return  home  the  owner  of  the  male  or  female  slave  recog- 
nize it :  if  the  male  or  female  slave  be  a  native  of  the  country, 
he  shall  give  them  back  without  any  money. 

281.  If  they  are  from  another  country,  the  buyer  shall  de- 
clare the  amount  of  money  he  paid  before  God,  and  the  owner 
shall  give  the  money  paid  therefor  to  the  merchant,  and  keep 
the  male  or  female  slave. 

282.  If  a  slave  say  to  his  master :  "  You  are  not  my  mas- 
ter," if  they  convict  him  his  master  shall  cut  off  his  ear. 

THE    EPILOGUE 

Laws  of  justice  which  Hammurapi,  the  wise  king,  estab- 
lished. A  righteous  law,  and  pious  statute  did  he  teach  the 
land.  Hammurapi,  the  protecting  king  am  I.  I  have  not 
withdrawn  myself  from  the  men,  whom  Bel  gave  to  me,  the 
rule  over  whom  Marduk  gave  to  me,  I  was  not  negligent,  but 
I  made  them  a  peaceful  abiding-place.  I  expounded  all 
great  difficulties,  I  made  the  light  shine  upon  them.  With 
the  mighty  weapons  which  Zamama  and  Ishtar  entrusted  to 
me,  with  the  keen  vision  with  which  Ea  endowed  me,  with  the 
wisdom  that  Marduk  gave  me,  I  have  uprooted  the  enemy 
above  and  below  (in  north  and  south),  subdued  the  earth, 
brought  prosperity  to  the  land,  guaranteed  security  to  the 
inhabitants  in  their  homes;  a  disturber  was  not  permitted. 


142  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

The  great  gods  have  called  me,  I  am  the  salvation-bearing 
shepherd,  whose  staff  is  straight,  the  good  shadow  that  is 
spread  over  my  city ;  on  my  breast  I  cherish  the  inhabitants 
of  the  land  of  Sumer  and  Akkad ;  in  my  shelter  I  have  let 
them  repose  in  peace;  in  my  deep  wisdom  have  I  enclosed 
them.  That  the  strong  might  not  injure  the  weak,  in  order 
to  protect  the  widows  and  orphans,  I  have  in  Babylon  the  city 
where  Anu  and  Bel  raise  high  their  head,  in  E-Sagil,  the 
Temple,  whose  foundations  stand  firm  as  heaven  and  earth, 
in  order  to  bespeak  justice  in  the  land,  to  settle  all  disputes, 
and  heal  all  injuries,  set  up  these  my  precious  words,  written 
upon  my  memorial  stone,  before  the  image  of  me,  as  king  of 
righteousness. 

The  king  who  ruleth  among  the  kings  of  the  cities  am  I. 
My  words  are  well  considered ;  there  is  no  wisdom  like  unto 
mine.  By  the  command  of  Shamash,  the  great  judge  of 
heaven  and  earth,  let  righteousness  go  forth  in  the  land:  by 
the  order  of  Marduk,  my  lord,  let  no  destruction  befall  my 
monument.  In  E-Sagil,  which  I  love,  let  my  name  be  ever 
repeated ;  let  the  oppressed,  who  has  a  case  at  law,  come  and 
stand  before  this  my  image  as  king  of  righteousness ;  let  him 
read  the  inscription,  and  understand  my  precious  words :  the 
inscription  will  explain  his  case  to  him ;  he  will  find  out  what 
is  just,  and  his  heart  will  be  glad,  so  that  he  will  say : 

"  Hammurapi  is  a  ruler,  who  is  as  a  father  to  his  subjects, 
who  holds  the  words  of  Marduk  in  reverence,  who  has  achieved 
conquest  for  Marduk  over  the  north  and  south,  who  rejoices 
the  heart  of  Marduk,  his  lord,  who  has  bestowed  benefits  for- 
ever and  ever  on  his  subjects,  and  has  established  order  in  the 
land." 

When  he  reads  the  record,  let  him  pray  with  full  heart  to 
Marduk,  my  lord,  and  Zarpanit,  my  lady ;  and  then  shall  the 
protecting  deities  and  the  gods,  who  frequent  E-Sagil,  gra- 
ciously grant  the  desires  daily  presented  before  Marduk,  my 
lord,  and  Zarpanit,  my  lady. 

In  future  time,  through  all  coming  generations,  let  the 
king,  who  may  be  in  the  land,  observe  the  words  of  righteous- 
ness which  I  have  written  on  my  monument ;  let  him  not  alter 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  143 

the  law  of  the  land  which  I  have  given,  the  edicts  which  I 
have  enacted;  my  monument  let  him  not  mar.  If  such  a 
ruler  have  wisdom,  and  be  able  to  keep  his  land  in  order,  he 
shall  observe  the  words  which  I  have  written  in  this  inscrip- 
tion; the  rule,  statute,  and  law  of  the  land  which  I  have 
given;  the  decisions  which  I  have  made  will  this  inscription 
show  him;  let  him  rule  his  subjects  accordingly,  speak  justice 
to  them,  give  right  decisions,  root  out  the  miscreants  and 
criminals  from  this  land,  and  grant  prosperity  to  his  subjects. 
Hammurapi,  the  king  of  righteousness,  on  whom  Shamash 
has  conferred  right  (or  law)  am  I.  My  words  are  well  con- 
sidered ;  my  deeds  are  not  equaled ;  to  bring  low  those  that 
were  high;  to  humble  the  proud,  to  expel  insolence.  If  a 
succeeding  ruler  considers  my  words,  which  I  have  written  in 
this  my  inscription,  if  he  do  not  annul  my  law,  nor  corrupt 
my  words,  nor  change  my  monument,  tlien  may  Shamash 
lengthen  that  king's  reign,  as  he  has  that  of  me,  the  king  of 
righteousness,  that  he  may  reign  in  righteousness  over  his 
subjects.  If  this  ruler  do  not  esteem  my  words,  which  I 
have  written  in  my  inscription,  if  he  despise  my  curses,  and 
fear  not  the  curse  of  God,  if  he  destroy  the  law  which  I  have 
given,  corrupt  my  words,  change  my  monument,  efface  my 
name,  write  his  name  there,  or  on  account  of  the  curses  com- 
mission another  so  to  do,  that  man,  whether  king  or  ruler, 
patesi,  or  commoner,  no  matter  what  he  be,  may  the  gi-eat 
God  (Anu),  the  Father  of  the  gods,  who  has  ordered  my  rule, 
withdraw  from  him  the  glory  of  royalty,  break  his  scepter, 
curse  his  destiny.  May  Bel,  the  lord,  who  fixeth  destiny, 
whose  command  can  not  be  altered,  who  has  made  my  king- 
dom great,  order  a  rebellion  which  his  hand  can  not  control ; 
may  he  let  the  wind  of  the  overthrow  of  his  habitation  blow, 
may  he  ordain  the  years  of  his  rule  in  groaning,  years  of 
scarcity,  years  of  famine,  darkness  without  light,  death  with 
seeing  eyes  be  fated  to  him;  may  he  (Bel)  order  with  his 
potent  mouth  the  destruction  of  his  city,  the  dispersion  of  his 
subjects,  the  cutting  off  of  his  rule,  the  removal  of  his  name 
and  memory  from  the  land.  ]\Iay  Belit,  the  great  ]\lotlier, 
whose  command  is  potent  in  E-Kur  (the  Babylonian  Olym- 


144.  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

pus),  the  Mistress,  who  barkens  graciously  to  my  petitions, 
in  the  seat  of  judgment  and  decision  (where  Bel  fixes  des- 
tiny), turn  his  affairs  evil  before  Bel,  and  put  the  devastation 
of  bis  land,  the  destruction  of  his  subjects,  the  pouring  out  of 
bis  life  like  water  into  the  mouth  of  King  BeL  May  Ea, 
the  great  ruler,  whose  fated  decrees  come  to  pass,  the  thinker 
of  the  gods,  the  omniscient,  who  maketh  long  the  days  of  my 
life,  withdraw  understanding  and  wisdom  from  him,  lead 
him  to  forgetfulness,  shut  up  his  rivers  at  their  sources,  and 
not  allow  com  or  sustenance  for  man  to  grow  in  his  land. 
May  Shamash,  the  great  Judge  of  heaven  and  earth,  who  sup- 
porteth  all  means  of  livelihood.  Lord  of  life-courage,  shatter 
bis  dominion,  annul  his  law,  destroy  bis  way,  make  vain  the 
march  of  his  troops,  send  him  in  his  visions  forecasts  of  the 
uprooting  of  the  foundations  of  his  throne  and  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  bis  land.  May  the  condemnation  of  Shamash  over- 
take him  forthwith;  may  be  be  deprived  of  water  above 
among  the  living,  and  bis  spirit  below  in  the  earth.  May 
Sin  (the  Moon-god),  the  Lord  of  Heaven,  the  divine  father, 
whose  crescent  gives  light  among  the  gods,  take  away  the 
crown  and  regal  throne  from  him;  may  he  put  upon  him 
heavy  guilt,  great  decay,  that  nothing  may  be  lower  than  be. 
May  be  destine  him  as  fated,  days,  months  and  years  of 
dominion  filled  with  sighing  and  tears,  increase  of  the  bur- 
den of  dominion,  a  life  that  is  like  unto  death.  May  Adad, 
the  lord  of  fruitfulness,  ruler  of  heaven  and  earth,  my  helper, 
withhold  from  him  rain  from  heaven,  and  the  flood  of  water 
from  the  springs,  destroying  bis  land  by  famine  and  want ; 
may  be  rage  mightily  over  his  city,  and  make  his  land  into 
flood-hills  (heaps  of  ruined  cities).  May  Zamama,  the  great 
warrior,  the  first-born  son  of  E-Kur,  who  goeth  at  my  right 
band,  shatter  bis  weapons  on  the  field  of  battle,  turn  day  into 
night  for  him,  and  let  bis  foe  triumph  over  him.  May  Ish- 
tar,  the  goddess  of  fighting  and  war,  who  unfetters  my 
weapons,  my  gracious  protecting  spirit,  who  loveth  my 
dominion,  curse  his  kingdom  in  her  angry  heart ;  in  her  great 
wrath,  change  his  grace  into  evil,  and  shatter  his  weapons  on 
the  place  of  fighting  and  war.     May  she  create  disorder  and 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  145 

sedition  for  him,  strike  down  his  warriors,  that  the  earth  may 
drink  their  blood,  and  throw  down  the  piles  of  corpses  of  his 
warriors  on  the  field ;  may  she  not  grant  him  a  life  of  mercy, 
deliver  him  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies,  and  imprison  him 
in  the  land  of  his  enemies.  May  Nergal,  the  mighty  among 
the  gods,  whose  contest  is  irresistible,  who  grants  me  victory, 
in  his  great  might  bum  up  his  subjects  like  a  slender  reed- 
stalk,  cut  off  his  limbs  with  his  mighty  weapons,  and  shatter 
him  like  an  earthen  image.  May  Nin-tu,  the  sublime  mis- 
tress of  the  lands,  the  fruitful  mother,  deny  him  a  son,  vouch- 
safe him  no  name,  give  him  no  successor  among  men.  May 
Nin-karak,  the  daughter  of  Anu,  who  adjudges  grace  to  me, 
cause  to  come  upon  his  members  in  E-kur  high  fever,  severe 
wounds,  that  can  not  be  healed,  whose  nature  the  physician 
does  not  understand,  which  he  can  not  treat  with  dressing, 
which,  like  the  bite  of  death,  can  not  be  removed,  until  they 
have  sapped  away  his  life. 

May  he  lament  the  loss  of  his  life-power,  and  may  the  great 
gods  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  Anunaki,  altogether  inflict  a 
curse  and  evil  upon  the  confines  of  the  temple,  the  walls  of 
this  E-barra  (the  Sun  temple  of  Sippara),  upon  his  domin- 
ion, his  land,  his  warriors,  his  subjects,  and  his  troops.  May 
Bel  curse  him  with  the  potent  curses  of  his  mouth  that  can 
not  be  altered,  and  may  they  come  upon  him  forthwith. 


VOL.  I. — 10. 


THE  GREAT  AGE  OF  BABYLONIA 
(2100-1100  B.C.) 


THE  EPIC  OF  CREATION 


"  I  will  create  man  who  shall  inhahit  the  earth. 
That  the  service  of  the  gods  may  be  established  and  their  slirinrs 
built." 

—  EPIC   OF  CREATION'. 


"  In  the  future  of  mankind,  when  the  days  grow  old, 

May  this  be  heard  without  ceasing ;  may  it  hold  sway  forever." 

—  EPIC  OF  CREATION. 


THE  CREATION  EPIC 

(INTRODUCTION) 

THE  Creation  Epic  is  usually  regarded  as  the  most  im- 
portant of  our  recovered  Babylonian  texts.  It  was  the 
final  or  standard  form  of  religious  belief  which  was  gradually 
developed  from  earlier  creation-legends  such  as  we  have 
already  shown.  This  finally  established  form  of  the  narra- 
tive was  named  by  both  Babylonians  and  Assyrians  Enuma 
elis,  "  When  in  the  Height " ;  because  these  were  its  opening 
words.  It  was  composed  of  seven  tablets,  or  seven  separate 
chants,  of  about  equal  length.  Many  fragments  of  these  tab- 
lets have  been  recovered,  some  in  Assyrian,  some  in  late 
Babylonian  texts,  so  that  we  are  now  able  to  reconstruct 
almost  the  entire  epic,  though  unfortunately,  as  the  reader 
will  see,  the  most  defective  tablets  —  the  fifth  and  sixth  — 
are  just  the  two  which  might  have  held  most  interest  for  us. 
In  them  the  god  is  actually  at  work  on  the  details  of  creation, 
which  are  not  unlike  those  described  in  Genesis. 

As  to  the  relation  of  the  Genesis  narrative  and  this  late 
Babylonian  one,  we  can  only  speak  in  general  terms.  Abra- 
ham led  his  people  out  from  Babylonia  about  the  time  of 
Hammurapi.  Probably  the  Babylonian  narrative  had  not 
then  crystallized  into  its  present  form.  Eoughly  we  would 
assign  the  "  When  in  the  Height  "  series  to  the  centuries 
immediately  following  Hammurapi.  It  was  he  who  made 
Babylon's  god,  Marduk,  the  chief  god ;  but  the  shifting  of  the 
creation  tale  so  as  to  center  around  Marduk,  rather  than 
around  the  older  gods,  must  have  taken  considerable  time. 
Abraham  probably  could  have  known  only  the  older  Sumerian 
legends. 

To  understand  the  "  When  in  the  Height "  epic  some  un- 
derstanding of  the  older  gods  is  necessary.  The  city  of 
Uruk,  or  Erech,  may  have  been  the  very  earliest  of  Sumerian 

149 


160  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

religious  centers,  for  Anu,  the  god  of  Uruk,  is  preserved 
through  all  the  legends  as  the  first  great  god  of  progress,  the 
guide  of  all  the  later  ones.  He  becomes  the  god  of  the  sky. 
Ea,  that  other  very  ancient  god  who  appeared  out  of  the  sea 
to  rule  the  city  of  Eridu,  and  who  became  the  god  of  the  sea, 
was  regarded  as  the  successor  of  Anu.  After  that,  whenever 
any  city  rose  to  empire,  its  god  seems  to  have  been  accepted  as 
a  brother  of  Anu  and  Ea,  and  as  having  received  from  them 
his  supreme  power.  Only  when  Babylon  grew  so  much 
greater  than  all  the  other  cities  was  its  god  Marduk  perma- 
nently accepted  as  supreme.  When  finally  the  Assyrians  rose 
to  power  they  worshiped  their  own  god  Ashur ;  but  they  kept 
him  as  their  special  national  god,  and  did  not  deny  to  Mar- 
duk his  long-established  rank  as  the  creator. 

As  for  the  other  gods  of  the  Creation  Epic,  there  is  an 
older  generation  of  whom  we  know  little.  They  are  all  rep- 
resented as  originating  with  Apsu,  the  primeval  father  god 
or  first  thought,  and  Tiamat,  the  primeval  mother  or  blank 
chaos  from  which  life  issued.  These  older,  cruder,  half-beast 
gods  become  the  monsters  who  object  to  the  light  and  effort 
and  progress  that  Anu  and  Ea  have  inaugurated.  Tiamat, 
from  whose  vast  bulk  Marduk  creates  the  universe,  becomes 
later  identified  with  the  waters  of  sea  and  sky,  but  this  was 
obviously  not  the  original  conception  of  her. 


THE  EPIC  OF  CREATION 

THE  FIRST  TABLET 

When  in  tlie  heiglit  heaven  was  not  named, 
And  the  earth  beneath  did  not  yet  bear  a  name, 
And  the  primeval  Apsu,  who  begat  them, 
And  chaos,  Tiamut,  the  mother  of  them  both  — 
5  Their  waters  were  mingled  together. 

And  no  field  was  formed,  no  marsh  was  to  be  seen; 
When  of  the  gods  none  had  been  called  into  being, 

And  none  bore  a  name,  and  no  destinies  were  ordained; 

Then  were  created  the  gods  in  the  midst  of  heaven, 
10  Lahmu  and  Lahamu  were  called  into  being  .  .  . 

Ages  increased,  ... 

Then    Ansar    and    Kisar    were    created,    and    over 

them.  .  .  . 
Long  were  the  days,  then  there  came  forth  ... 

Ann,  their  son,  .  .  . 
15  Ansar  and  Anu  ... 

And  the  god  Anu  ... 

Nudimmud,  whom  his  fathers,  his  begetters  .  .  . 

Abounding  in  all  wisdom,  .  .  -^ 

He  was  excecvling  strong  .  .  . 
20  He  had  no  rival  ...  , 

Thus  were  established  and  were  .  .  •  the  great  gods. 

But  Tiamat  and  Apsu  were  still  in  confusion  .  .  . 

They  were  troubled  and  .  .  . 

vaeuelv  conceived  as  already  in  existence.  , 

fTMs  line  evidently  contains  a  description  of  Nud.mmud   (^a),  and 
in  vTew  o    th:    -porlant  part  he  plays  in  the  ^-t  -"^s^^d  tablets, 
t  is  not  improbable  that  the  two  lines  following  also  refer  to  h.m. 


152  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

In  disorder  .  .  . 
25  Apsu  was  not  diminished  in  might  .  .  , 
And  Tiamat  roared  ... 
She  smote,  and  their  deeds  ... 
Their  way  was  evil  .  .  . 
Then  Apsu,  the  begetter  of  the  great  gods, 
30  Cried  unto  Mummu,  his  minister,  and  said  unto  him : 
"  O  Mummu,  thou  minister  that  rejoicest  my  spirit. 
Come,  unto  Tiamut  let  us  go !  " 
So  they  went  and  before  Tiamat  they  lay  down, 
They  consulted  on  a  plan  with  regard  to  the  gods,  their 

sons. 
35  Apsu  opened  his  mouth  and  spake, 

And  unto  Tiamut,  the  glistening  one,  he  addressed  the 

word: 
".  .  .  their  way  .  .  ., 
By  day  I  can  not  rest,  by  night  I  can  not  lie  down  in 

peace. 
But  I  will  destroy  their  way,  I  will  .  .  . 
40  Let  there  be  lamentation,  and  let  us  lie  down  again  in 

peace." 
When  Tiamat  heard  these  words. 
She  raged  and  cried  aloud  .  .  . 
She  .  .  .  grievously  .  .  ., 
She  uttered  a  curse,  and  unto  Apsu  she  spake : 
45  "  What  then  shall  we  do  ? 

Let  their  way  be  made  difficult,  and  let  us  lie  down  again 

in  peace." 
Mummu  answered,  and  gave  counsel  unto  Apsu, 
.  .  .  and  hostile  to  the  gods  was  the  counsel  Mummu 

gave : 
"  Come,  their  way  is  strong,  but  thou  shalt  destroy  it ; 
50  Then  by  day  shalt  thou  have  rest,  by  night  shalt  thou  lie 

down  in  peace." 
Apsu  barkened   unto  him   and   his  countenance  grew 

bright, 
Since  he  (Mummu)  planned  evil  against  the  gods  his 

sons. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  153 

...  he  was  afraid  .  .  ., 

His  knees  became  weak ;  they  gave  way  beneath  him, 
65  Because  of  the  evil  which  their  first-born  had  planned. 
.  .  .  their  .  .  .  they  altered. 
.  .  .  they  .  .  ., 
Lamentation  .  .  .  they  sat  in-  sorrow 


60  Then  Ea,  who  knoweth  all  that  is,  went  up  and  he  beheld 
their  muttering. 

[Lines  61-91  are  almost  wholly  illegible.] 

...  he  spake  :^ 

".  .  .  thy  ...  he  hath  conquered  and 
.  .  he  weepeth  and  sitteth  in  tribulation. 
95  ...  of  fear, 

.  .  we  shall  not  lie  down  in  peace. 
.  .  Apsu  is  laid  waste, 

.  .  and  Mummu,  who  were  taken  captive,  in  .  .  . 
.  .  thou  didst  .  .  . 
100  ...  let  us  lie  down  in  peace. 
.  .  they  will  smite.  .  .  . 
.  .  let  us  lie  down  in  peace. 
.  .  thou  shalt  take  vengeance  for  them, 
.  .  unto  the  tempest  shalt  thou  .  .  .    !  " 
105  And  Tiamat  barkened  unto  the  word  of  the  bright  god, 
and  said : 
".  .  .  shalt  thou  entrust !  let  us  wage  war !  " 
.  .  .  the  gods  in  the  midst  of  .  .  . 
.  .  .  for  the  gods  did  she  create. 

They  banded  themselves  together  and  at  the  side  of 
Tiamat  they  advanced ; 

3  The  speech  that  follows  is  evidently  addressed  to  Tiamat.  The 
speaker  refers  to  the  evil  fate  which  has  overtaken  Apsu  and  Mummu 
in  their  revolt  against  the  gods;  he  encourages  Tiamat  to  take  ven- 
geance for  them  (line  103),  and,  by  continuing  the  struggle,  to  obtain 
with  him  the  slothful  peace  which  she  desires.  From  the  fact  that 
Tamat  subsequently  promoted  Kingu  to  lead  her  forces  "because  he 
had  given  her  support,"  and  addressed  him  as  her  "chosen  spouse,"  it 
may  be  inferred  that  the  speaker  of  the  lines  following  was  Kingu. 


154  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

110  They  were  furious;  they  devised  mischief  without  rest- 
ing night  and  day. 

They  prepared  for  battle,  fuming  and  raging ; 

They  joined  their  forces  and  made  war, 

Ummu-Hubur,*  who  formed  all  things, 

Made  in  addition  weapons  invincible ;  she  spawned  mon- 
ster-serpents, 
115  Sharp  of  tooth,  and  merciless  of  fang; 

With  poison,  instead  of  blood,  she  filled  their  bodies. 

Fierce  monster-vipers  she  clothed  with  terror. 

With  splendor  she  decked  them,  she  made  them  of  lofty 
stature. 

Whoever  beheld  them,  terror  overcame  him, 
120  Their  bodies  reared  up  and  none  could  withstand  their 
attack. 

She  set  up  vipers  and  dragons,  and  the  monster  Lahamu, 

And  hurricanes,  and  raging  hounds,  and  scorpion-men. 

And  mighty  tempests,  and  fish-men,  and  rams ; 

They  bore  cruel  weapons,  without  fear  of  the  fight. 
125  Her  commands  were  mighty,  none  could  resist  them ; 

After  this  fashion,  huge  of  stature,  she  made  eleven  mon- 
sters,^ 

Among  the  gods  who  were  her  sons,  inasmuch  as  he  had 
given  her  support. 

She  exalted  Kingu;  in  their  midst  she  raised  him  to 
power. 

To  march  before  the  forces,  to  lead  the  host, 
130  To  give  the  battle-signal,  to  advance  to  the  attack, 

To  direct  the  battle,  to  control  the  fight. 

Unto  him  she  entrusted ;  in  costly  raiment  she  made  him 
sit,  saying: 

"  I  have  uttered  thy  spell,  in  the  assembly  of  the  gods  I 
have  raised  thee  to  power. 

The  dominion  over  all  the  gods  have  I  entrusted  unto 
him. 

4  A  title  of  Tiamat. 

6  That  ifl,  elpven  kinds  of  monsters;  gince  the  plural  is  used  in  the 
case  of  many  of  the  classes,  it  is  clear  that  Tiamat  created  more  than 
one  of  each. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  155 

135  Be  tliou  exalted,  thou  my  chosen  spouse, 

May  they  magnify  thy  name  over  all  of  them  .  .  .  the 

Anunnaki." 
She  gave  him  the  Tablets  of  Destiny,  on  his  breast  she 

laid  them,  saying : 
"  Thy  command  shall  not  be  without  avail,  and  the  word 

of  thy  mouth  shall  be  established." 
Now  Kingu,  thus  exalted,  having  received  the  power  of 

Anu, 
140  Decreed  the  fate  among  the  gods  his  sons,  saying : 

"  Let  the  opening  of  your  mouth  quench  the  Fire-god ; 
Whoso  is  exalted   in   the  battle,   let   him   display   his 

might !  " 

THE  SECOND  TABLET 

Tiamat  made  weighty  her  handiwork, 

Evil  she  wrought  against  the  gods  her  children. 

To  avenge  Apsu,  Tiamat  planned  evil. 

But  how  she  had  collected  her  forces,  the  god  .  .  .  unto 

Ea  divulged. 
5  Ea  barkened  to  this  thing,  and 

He  was  grievously  afflicted  and  he  sat  in  sorrow. 

The  days  went  by,  and  his  anger  was  appeased, 

And   to   the   place    of   Ansar   his   father   he   took   his 

way. 
He  went  and,  standing  before  Ansar,  the  father  who 

begat  him, 
10  All  that  Tiamat  had  plotted  he  repeated  unto  him, 

Saying,  "  Tiamat  our  mother  hath  conceived  a  hatred 

for  us, 
With  all  her  force  she  rageth,  full  of  wrath. 
All  the  gods  have  turned  to  her, 
With  those,  whom  ye  created,  they  go  at  her  side. 
15  They  are  banded  together  and  at  the  side  of  Tiamat  they 

advance ; 
They  are  furious,  they  devise  mischief  without  resting 

night  and  day. 
They  prepare  for  battle,  fuming  and  raging ; 


156  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

They  have  joined  their  forces  and  are  making  war. 
Ummu-Hubur,  who  formed  all  things, 
20  Hath  made  in  addition  weapons  invincible;  she  hath 

spawned  monster-serpents, 
Sharp  of  tooth,  and  merciless  of  fang. 
With   poison,   instead   of  blood,   she   hath   filled   their 

bodies. 
Fierce  monster-vipers  she  hath  clothed  with  terror, 
With  splendor  she  hath  decked  them;  she  hath  made 

them  of  lofty  stature. 
25  Whoever  beholdeth  them  is  overcome  by  terror, 

Their  bodies  rear  up   and   none   can  withstand   their 

attack. 
She  hath  set  up  vipers,  and  dragons,  and  the  monster 

Lahamu, 
And  hurricanes  and  raging  hounds,  and  scorpion-men. 
And  mighty  tempests,  and  fish-men  and  rams ; 
30  They  bear  cruel  weapons,  without  fear  of  the  fight. 
Her  commands  are  mighty ;  none  can  resist  them ; 
After  this  fashion,  huge  of  stature,  hath  she  made  eleven 

monsters. 
Among  the  gods  who  are  her  sons,  inasmuch  as  he  hath 

given  her  support, 
She  hath  exalted  Kingu ;  in  their  midst  she  hath  raised 

him  to  power. 
35  To  march  before  the  forces,  to  lead  the  host. 

To  give  the  battle-signal,  to  advance  to  the  attack. 

To  direct  the  battle,  to  control  the  fight, 

Unto  him  hath  she  entrusted ;  in  costly  raiment  she  hath 

made  him  sit,  saying: 
'  I  have  uttered  thy  spell ;  in  the  assembly  of  the  gods  I 

have  raised  thee  to  power, 
40  The  dominion  over  all  the  gods  have  I  entrusted  unto 

thee. 
Be  thou  exalted,  thou  my  chosen  spouse, 
May  they  magnify  thy  name  over  all  of  them  .  .  .' 
She  hath  given  him  the  Tablets  of  Destiny,  on  his  breast 

she  laid  them,  saying : 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  157 

'  Thy  command  shall  not  be  without  avail,  and  the  word 

of  thy  mouth  shall  be  established.' 
45  Now  Kingu,  thus  exalted,  having  received  the  power  of 

Anu, 
Decreed  the  fate  for  the  gods,  her  sons,  saying : 
'  Let  the  opening  of  your  mouth  quench  the  Fire-god ; 
Whoso  is  exalted   in  the  battle,   let  him  display   his 

might!'" 
When  Ansar  heard  how  Tiamat  was  mightily  in  revolt, 
50  .  .  .,  he  bit  his  lips, 

.  .  .,  his  mind  was  not  at  peace, 
His  .  .  .,  he  made  a  bitter  lamentation : 
".  .  .  battle, 
.  .  .  thou  .  .  . 
55  Mummu  and  Apsu  thou  hast  smitten,^ 

But  Tiamat  hath  exalted  Kingu,  and  where  is  one  who 

can  oppose  her  ?  " 
.  .  .  deliberation 
.  .  .  the  ...  of  the  gods,  Nudimmud. 

[A  gap  of  about  a  dozen  lines  occurs  here.] 

Ansar  unto  his  son  addressed  the  word : 

".  .  .  my  mighty  hero. 

Whose  strength  is  great  and  whose  onslaught  can  not  be 

withstood, 
75  Go  and  stand  before  Tiamat, 

That  her  spirit  may  be  appeased,  that  her  heart  may  be 

merciful. 
But  if  she  will  not  barken  unto  thy  word, 
Our  word  shalt  thou  speak  unto  her,  that  she  may  be 

pacified."  '^ 

6  From  line  93  and  the  lines  following  of  the  first  tablet  it  may  be 
inferred  that  Apsu  was  conquered  before  Tiamat  made  her  prepara- 
tions for  battle.  As  Ansar  is  addressing  Ea,  it  may  be  concluded  that 
Ea  was  the  conqueror  of  Apsu.  In  accordance  with  this  conclusion  is 
the  fact  that  it  was  the  god  Ea  who  first  discovered  the  conspiracy  of 
Apsu  and  Tiamat. 

7  The  sense  of  the  couplet  seems  to  be  that,  should  Tiamat  not  listen 
to  Anu,  she  might  perhaps  respect  the  authority  of  Ansar. 


158  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

He  heard  the  word  of  his  father  Ansar 
80  And  he  directed  his  path  to  her,  toward  her  he  took  the 
way. 
Anu  drew  nigh,  he  beheld  the  muttering  of  Tiamat, 
But  he  could  not  withstand  her,  and  he  turned  back. 
.  .  .  Ansar 
...  he  spake  unto  him : 

[A  gap  of  over  twenty  lines  occurs  here.] 

105  ...  an  avenger  .  .  .^ 
.  .  valiant 

.  .  in  the  place  of  his  decision 
.  .  he  spake  unto  him : 
.  .  thy  father 

110  "  Thou  art  my  son,  who  maketh  merciful  ^  his  heart. 
.  .  to  the  battle  shalt  thou  draw  nigh, 
.  .  he  that  shall  behold  thee  shall  have  peace." 
And  the  lord  rejoiced  at  the  word  of  his  father. 
And  he  drew  nigh  and  stood  before  Ansar. 
115  Ansar  beheld  him  and  his  heart  was  filled  with  joy, 

He  kissed  him  on  the  lips  and  his  fear  departed  from 

him. 
"  O  my  father,  let  not  the  word  of  thy  lips  be  overcome, 
Let  me  go,  that  I  may  accomplish  all  that  is  in  thy  heart. 
O  Ansar,  let  not  the  word  of  thy  lips  be  overcome, 
120  Let  me  go,  that  I  may  accomplish  all  that  is  in  thy 
heart." 
"  What  man  is  it,  who  hath  brought  thee  forth  to  battle  ? 
.  .  .  Tiamat,  who  is  a  woman,  is  armed  and  attacketh 

thee. 
.  .  .  rejoice  and  be  glad ; 

The  neck  of  Tiamat  shalt  thou  swiftly  trample  under 
foot. 
125  .  .  .  rejoice  and  be  glad ; 

8  Here  Marduk  enters  the  story,  and  is  depicted  at  once  as  the 
mightiest  god.     lie  is  represented  as  the  son  of  Ansar. 

9  Literally,  "who  maketh  broad  his  heart."  The  phrase,  as  applied 
to  Marduk,  implies  that  he  shows  mercy  on  the  gods  by  consenting  to 
become  their  avenger. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  159 

The  neck  of  Tiamat  slialt  thou  swiftly  trample  under 

foot. 
O  my  son,  who  knoweth  all  wisdom, 
Pacify  Tiamat  with  thy  pure  incantation. 
Speedily  set  out  upon  thy  way, 
130  For  thy  blood  shall  not  be  poured  out ;  thou  shalt  return 
again." 
The  lord  rejoiced  at  the  word  of  his  father. 
His  heart  exulted,  and  unto  his  father  he  spake : 
"  O  Lord  of  the  gods.  Destiny  of  the  great  gods, 
If  I,  your  avenger, 
135  Conquer  Tiamat  and  give  you  life. 

Appoint  an  assembly,  make  my  fate  preeminent  and  pro- 
claim it. 
In  Upsukkinaku  seat  yourself  joyfully  together, 
With  my  word  in  place  of  you  will  I  decree  fate. 
May  whatsoever  I  do  remain  unaltered, 
140  May  the  word  of  my  lips  never  be  changed  nor  made  of 
no  avail." 


THE  THIRD  TABLET 

Ansar  opened  his  mouth,  and 
Unto  Gaga,  his  minister,  spake  the  word: 
"  O  Gaga,  thou  minister  that  rejoicest  my  spirit. 
Unto  Lahmu  and  Lahamu  will  I  send  thee. 
5  .  .  .  thou  canst  attain, 

.  .  .  thou  shalt  cause  to  be  brought  before  thee. 
...  let  the  gods,  all  of  them, 
Make  ready  for  a  feast,  at  a  banquet  let  them  sit. 
Let  them  eat  bread,  let  them  mix  wine, 
10  That  for  Marduk,  their  avenger,  they  may  decree  the 

fate. 
Go,  Gaga,  stand  before  them, 

And  all  that  I  tell  thee,  repeat  unto  them,  and  say: 
'  Ansar,  your  son,  hath  sent  me, 

The  purpose  of  his  heart  he  hath  made  known  unto  me. 
The  purpose  of  his  heart  he  hath  made  kno\vn  unto 

me. 


160  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

15  He  saith  that  Tiamat  our  mother  hath  conceived  a  hatred 
for  us, 

With  all  her  force  she  rageth,  full  of  wrath. 

All  the  gods  have  turned  to  her, 

With  those,  whom  ye  created,  they  go  at  her  side. 

They  are  banded  together,  and  at  the  side  of  Tiamat 
they  advance ; 
20  They  are  furious,  they  devise  mischief  without  resting 
night  and  day. 

They  prepare  for  battle,  fuming  and  raging ; 

They  have  joined  their  forces  and  are  making  war. 

Ummu-Hubur,  who  formed  all  things, 

Hath  made  in  addition  weapons  invincible;  she  hath 
spawned  monster-serpents, 
25  Sharp  of  tooth  and  merciless  of  fang. 

With  poison,  instead  of  blood,  she  hath  filled  their  bod- 
ies. 

Fierce  monster-vipers  she  hath  clothed  with  terror. 

With  splendor  she  hath  decked  them;  she  hath  made 
them  of  lofty  stature. 

Whoever  beholdeth  them,  terror  overcometh  him, 
30  Their  bodies  rear  up  and  none  can  withstand  their  at- 
tack. 

She  hath  set  up  vipers,  and  dragons,  and  the  monster 
Lahamu, 

And  hurricanes,  and  raging  hounds,  and  scorpion-men. 

And  mighty  tempests,  and  fish-men,  and  rams; 

They  bear  merciless  weapons,  without  fear  of  the  fight. 
35  Her  commands  are  mighty ;  none  can  resist  them ; 

After  this  fashion,   huge  of  stature,   hath   she   made 
eleven  monsters. 

Among  the  gods  who  are  her  sons,  inasmuch  as  he  hath 
given  her  support. 

She  hath  exalted  Kingu ;  in  their  midst  she  hath  raised 
him  to  power. 

To  march  before  the  forces,  to  lead  the  host, 
40  To  give  the  battle-signal,  to  advance  to  the  attack, 
To  direct  the  battle,  to  control  the  fight, 


IVIARDUK  AND  THE   DRACJOX. 

Marduk,  Chief  God  of  Babylon,  with  his  thnndcrhoJis  destroys 
Tianiat  the  Dragon  of  Primeval  Chaos. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  161 

Unto  him  hath  she  entrusted ;  in  costly  raiment  she  hath 

made  him  sit,  saying: 
*'  I  have  uttered  thy  spell ;  in  the  assembly  of  the  gods 

I  have  raised  thee  to  power, 
The  dominion  over  all  the  gods  have  I  entrusted  unto 

thee. 
45  Be  thou  exalted,  thou  my  chosen  spouse. 

May  they  mag-nify  thy  name  over  all  of  them  .  .  .  the 

Anunnaki." 
She  hath  given  him  the   Tablets  of   Destiny,   on  his 

breast  she  laid  them,  saying: 
"  Thy  command  shall  not  be  without  avail,  and  the  word 

of  thy  mouth  shall  be  established." 
Now  Kingu,  thus  exalted,  having  received  the  power 

of  Anu, 
50  Decreed  the  fate  for  the  gods,  her  sons,  saying: 

"  Let  the  opening  of  your  mouth  quench  the  Fire-god ; 
Whoso   is   exalted   in   the  battle,   let  him   display  his 

might !  " 
I  sent  Anu,  but  he  could  not  withstand  her; 
Nudimmud  was  afraid  and  turned  back. 
55  But  Marduk  hath  set  out,  the  director  of  the  gods,  your 

son; 
To  set  out  against  Tiamat  his  heart  hath  prompted  him. 
He  opened  his  mouth  and  spake  unto  me,  saying: 
"  If  I,  your  avenger. 
Conquer  Tiamat  and  give  you  life, 
60  Appoint  an  assembly,  make  my  fate  preeminent  and 

proclaim  it. 
In  Upsukkinaku  seat  yourself  joyfully  together; 
With  my  word  in  place  of  you  will  I  decree  fate. 
May  whatsoever  I  do  remain  unaltered, 
May  the  word  of  my  lips  never  be  changed  nor  made  of 

no  avail."  ' 
65  Hasten,  therefore,  and  swiftly  decree  for  him  the  fate 

which  you  bestow, 
That  he  may  go  and  fight  your  strong  enemy !  " 
Gaga  went,  he  took  his  way  and 

VOL.  I.— 11. 


165  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Humbly    before    Lahmu    and    Labamu,    ibe   gods,    his 

fathers, 
He  made  obeisance,  and  he  kissed  the  ground  at  their 

feet. 
YO  He  humbled  himself;  then  he  stood  up  and  spake  unto 

them,  saying: 
"  Ansar,  your  son,  hath  sent  me. 

The  purpose  of  his  heart  he  hath  made  knowTi  unto  me. 
He  saith   that   Tiamat  our  mother   hath   conceived    a 

hatred  for  us, 
With  all  her  force  she  rageth,  full  of  wrath. 
75  All  the  gods  have  turned  to  her, 

With  those,  whom  ye  created,  they  go  at  her  side. 
They  are  banded  together  and  at  the  side  of  Tiamat 

they  advance; 
They  are  furious,  they  devise  mischief  without  resting 

niffht  and  dav. 
They  prepare  for  battle,  fuming  and  raging; 
80  They  have  joined  their  forces  and  are  making  war. 
TJmmu-Hubur,  who  formed  all  things. 
Hath  made  in  addition  weapons  invincible;  she  hath 

spawned  monster-serpents. 
Sharp  of  tooth  and  merciless  of  fang. 
With  poison,  instead  of  blood,  she  hath  filled  their  bodies. 
85  Fierce  monster-vipers  she  hath  clothed  with  terror. 
With  splendor  she  hath  decked  them,  she  hath  made 

them  of  lofty  stature. 
Whoever  beholdeth  them,  terror  overcometh  him, 
Their  bodies  rear  up  and  none  can  withstand  their  at- 
tack. 
She  hath  set  up  vipers,  and  dragons,  and  the  monster 

Lahamu, 
90  And  hurricanes,  and  raging  hounds,  and  scorpion-men. 
And  mighty  tempests,  and  fish-men,  and  rams; 
They  bear  merciless  weapons,  without  fear  of  the  fight. 
Her  commands  are  mighty ;  none  can  resist  them ; 
After  this   fashion,    huge   of   stature,   hath   she   made 

eleven  monsters. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  163 

95  Among  the  gods  who  are  her  sons,  inasmuch  as  he  hath 

given  her  support, 
She  hath  exalted  Kingu ;  in  their  midst  she  hath  raised 

him  to  power. 
To  march  before  the  forces,  to  lead  the  host, 
To  give  the  battle-signal,  to  advance  to  the  attack, 
To  direct  the  battle,  to  control  the  fight, 
100  Unto  him  hath  she  entrusted ;  in  costly  raiment  she  hath 

made  him  sit,  saying : 
'  I  have  uttered  thy  spell ;  in  the  assembly  of  the  gods  I 

have  raised  thee  to  power, 
The  dominion  over  all  the  gods  have  I  entrusted  unto 

thee. 
Be  thou  exalted,  thou  my  chosen  spouse, 
May  they  magnify  thy  name  over   all   of  them  .  .  . 

the  Anunnaki.' 
105  She  hath  given  him  the  Tablets  of  Destiny;   on  his 

breast  she  laid  them,  saying : 
'  Thy  command  shall  not  be  without  avail,  and  the  word 

of  thy  mouth  shall  be  established.' 
Now  Kingu,  thus  exalted,  having  received  the  power 

of  Anu, 
Decreed  the  fate  for  the  gods,  her  sons,  saying : 
'  Let  the  opening  of  your  mouth  quench  the  Fire-god ;  ^ 
110  Whoso  is  exalted   in  the  battle,   let  him   display  his 

might ! ' 
I  sent  Anu,  but  he  could  not  withstand  her ; 
Nudimmud  was  afraid  and  turned  back. 
But  Marduk  hath  set  out,  the  director  of  the  gods,  your 

son; 
To  set  out  against  Tiamat  his  heart  hath  prompted  him. 
115  He  opened  his  mouth  and  spake  unto  me,  saying: 
'  If  I,  your  avenger. 
Conquer  Tiamat  and  give  you  life, 
Appoint  an  assembly,  make  my  fate  preeminent  and 

proclaim  it. 
In  Upsukkinaku  seat  yourselves  joyfully  together ; 
120  With  my  word  in  place  of  you  will  I  decree  fate. 


16^  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

May  whatsoever  I  do  remain  unaltered, 

May  the  word  of  my  lips  never  be  changed  nor  made  of 

no  avail.' 
Hasten,  therefore,  and  swiftly  decree  for  him  the  fate 

which  you  bestow, 
That  he  may  go  and  fight  your  strong  enemy !  " 
125  Lahmu  and  Lahamu  heard  and  cried  aloud, 
All  of  the  Igigi  '^^  wailed  bitterly,  saying : 
"  What  has  been  altered  so  that  they  should  .  .  . 
We  do  not  understand  the  deed  of  Tiamat !  " 
Then  did  they  collect  and  go, 
130  The  great  gods,  all  of  them,  who  decree  fate. 

They  entered  in  before  Ansar,  they  filled  .  .  .  ; 
They  kissed  one  another,  in  the  assembly.  .  .  . 
They  made  ready  for  the  feast,   at  the  banquet  they 

sat; 
They  ate  bread,  they  mixed  sesame-wine. 
135  The  sweet  drink,  the  mead,  confused  their  .  .  . 

They  were  drunk  with  drinking,  their  bodies  were  filled. 
They  were  wholly  at  ease,  their  spirit  was  exalted; 
Then  for  Marduk,  their  avenger,  did  they  decree  the 

fate. 

THE  FOURTH  TABLET 

They  prepared  for  him  a  lordly  chamber. 
Before  his  fathers  as  prince  he  took  his  place. ^^ 
"  Thou  art  chiefest  among  the  great  gods. 
Thy  fate  is  unequaled,  thy  word  is  Anu ! 
5  O  Marduk,  thou  art  chiefest  among  the  great  gods, 
Thy  fate  is  unequaled,  thy  word  is  Anu ! 
Henceforth  not  without  avail  shall  be  thy  command, 
In  thy  power  shall  it  be  to  exalt  and  to  abase. 
Established  shall  be  the  word  of  thy  mouth,  irresistible 
shall  be  thy  command  ; 
10  None  among  the  gods  shall  transgress  thy  boundary. 

10  The  elder  gods. 

11  The  lines  which   follow  contain   the   words  addressed  by  the  gods 
to  Marduk,  after  he  had  taken  his  seat  in  their  presence. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  165 

Abundance,  tlie  desire  of  the  shrines  of  the  gods, 

Shall  be  established  in  thy  sanctuary,  even  though  they 
lack  offerings. 

O  Marduk,  thou  art  our  avenger! 

We  give  thee  sovereignty  over  the  whole  world. 
15  Sit  thou  down  in  might;  ^^  be  exalted  in  thy  command. 

Thy  weapon  shall  never  lose  its  power;  it  shall  crush 
thy  foe. 

O  Lord,  spare  the  life  of  him  that  putteth  his  trust  in 
thee, 

But  as  for  the  god  who  began  the  rebellion,  pour  out 
his  life." 

Then  set  they  in  their  midst  a  garment, 
20  And  unto  Marduk  their  first-born  they  spake: 

"  May  thy  fate,  O  lord,  be  supreme  among  the  gods, 

To  destroy  and  to  create ;  speak  thou  the  word,  and  thy        -/ 

^      command  shall  be  fulfilled.  _ 

Command  now  and  let  the  garment  vanish ; 

And  speak  the  word  again  and  let  the  garment  reap- 
pear !  " 
25  Then  he  spake  with  his  mouth,  and  the  garment  van- 
ished ; 

Again    he    commanded    it,    and    the    garment    reap- 
peared. 

When  the  gods,  his  fathers,  beheld  the  fulfilment  of  his 
word. 

They  rejoiced,  and  they  did  homage  unto  him,  saying, 
"  Marduk  is  king !  " 

They  bestowed  upon  him  the  scepter,  and  the  throne, 
and  the  ring, 
30  They  give  him  an  invincible  weapon,  which  overwhelm- 
eth  the  foe. 

"  Go,  and  cut  off  the  life  of  Tiamat,^^ 

And  let  the  wind  carry  her  blood  into  secret  places." 

12  This  is  preferable  to  the  rendering,  "  Take  thy  seat  in  the  assem- 
bly of  the  gods";  for  the  other  gods  had  an  equal  right  to  sit  in  the 

assembly.  ht    j  i, 

13  Lines  31  and  32  contain  the  final  address  of  the  gods  to  Marduk 

before  he  armed  for  the  fight. 


166  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

After  the  gods  his  fathers  had  decreed  for  the  lord  his 

fate, 
They  caused  him  to  set  out  on  a  path  of  prosperity  and 

success. 
35  He  made  ready  the  bow,  he  chose  his  weapon. 
He  slung  a  spear  upon  him  and  fastened  it  .  .  . 
He  raised  the  club,  in  his  right  hand  he  grasped  it, 
The  bow  and  the  quiver  he  hung  at  his  side. 
lie  set  the  lightning  in  front  of  him, 
40  With  burning  flame  he  filled  his  body. 

He  made  a  net_to^enclose  the  inward  parts  of  Tiamat, 
The  four  winds  he  stationed   so  that  nothing  of  her 

might  escape; 
The  South  wind  and  the  North  wind  and  the  East  wind 

and  the  West  wind 
He  brought  near  to  the  net,  the  gift  of  his  father  Anu. 
45  He  created  the  evil  wind,  and  the  tempest,  and  the  hur- 
ricane, 
And  the  fourfold  wind,  and  the  sevenfold  wind,  and 

the  whirlwind,  and  the  wind  which  had  no  equal ; 
He  sent  forth   the_  winds  which   he  had   created^   the 

seven  of  them; 
To  disturb  the  inward  parts  of  Tiamat,  they  followed 

after  him. 
Then    the    lord    raised    the    thunderbolt,    his    mighty 

weapon, 
50  He  mounted   the  chariot^  the   storm  ^^   unequaled   for 

terror, 
He  harnessed. and  yoked  unto  it  four  horses. 
Destructive,    ferocious,    overwhelming,    and    swift    of 

pace; 
.  .  .  were  their  teeth,  they  were  flecked  with  foam ; 
They  were  skilled  in  ...  ,  they  had  been  trained  to 

trample  underfoot. 
55  ...  ,  mighty  in  battle. 
Left  and  right.  .  .  . 

i4Marduk  is  represented  driving  the  storm  as  his  chariot,  drawn  by- 
fiery  steeds. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  167 

His  garment  Avas  .  .  .  ,  lie  was  clothed  with  terror, 

With  overpowering  brightness  his  head  was  crowned. 

Then  he  set  out,  he  took  his  way, 
60  And  toward  the  raging  Tiamat  he  set  his  face. 

On  his  lips  he  held  .  .  .  , 

...  he  grasped  in  his  hand. 

Then  they  beheld  him,  the  gods  beheld  him. 

The  gods  his  fathers  beheld  him,  the  gods  beheld  him. 
65  And  the  lord  drew  nigh,  he  gazed  upon  the  inward  parts 
of  Tiamat, 

He  perceived  the  muttering  of  Kingu,  her  spouse. 

As  Marduk  gazed,  Kiugxi  was  troubled  in  his  gait. 

His  will  was  destroyed  and  his  motions  ceased. 

And  the  gods,  his  helpers,  who  marched  by  his  side, 
70  Beheld  their  leader's  .  .  .  ,  and  their  sight  was  troubled. 

But  Tiamat  .  .  .  ,  she  turned  not  her  neck, 

With  lips  that  failed  not  she  uttered  rebellious  words :  ^^ 

".  .  .  thy  coming  as  lord  of  the  gods, 

From  their  places  have  they  gathered,  in  thy  place  are 
they!"^« 
75  Then    the    lord    raised    the    thunderbolt,    his    mighty 
weapon, 

And  against  Tiamat,  who  was  raging,  thus  he  sent  the 
word : 

"  Thou  art  become  great,  thou  hast  exalted  thyself  on 

high, 
And  thy  heart  hath  prompted  thee  to  call  to  battle. 
.  .  .  their  fathers  .  .  .  , 
80  .  .  .  their  .  .  .  thou  hatest  ... 

Thou  hast  exalted  Kingu  to  be  thy  spouse. 

Thou  hast  .  .  .  him,  that,  even  as  Anu,  he  should  issue 

decrees. 
.  .  .  thou  hast  followed  after  evil. 
And  against  the  gods  my  fathers  thou  hast  contrived 

thy  wicked  plan. 

15  Literally,  "  she  held  fast  rebellion." 

18  As  the  bepinninjr  of  line  73  is  wanting,  the  meaning  of  Tiamat  s 
taunt  is  not  quite  clear. 


168  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

85  Let  then  thy  host  be   equipped,   let   thy  weapons  be 

girded  on! 
Stand !     I  and  thou,  let  us  join  battle !  " 
When  Tiamat  heard  these  words, 
She  was  like  one  possessed,  she  lost  her  reason. 
Tiamat  uttered  wild,  piercing  cries, 
90  She  trembled  and  shook  to  her  very  foundations. 
She  recited  an  incantation,  she  pronounced  her  spell. 
And  the  gods  of  the  battle  cried  out  for  their  weapons. 
Then  advanced  Tiamat  and  Marduk,  the  counselor  of 

the  gods; 
To  the  fight  they  came  on,  to  the  battle  they  drew  nigh. 
95  The  lord  spread  out  his  net  and  caught  her, 

And  the  evil  wind  that  was  behind  him  he  let  loose  in 

her  face. 
As  Tiamat  opened  her  mouth  to  its  full  extent. 
He  drove  in  the  evil  wind,  while  as  yet  she  had  not  shut 

her  lips. 
The  terrible  winds  filled  her  belly, 
100  And  her  courage  was  taken  from  her,  and  her  mouth 

she  opened  wide. 
He  seized  the  spear  and  burst  her  belly. 
He  severed  her  inward  parts,  he  pierced  her  heart. 
He  overcame  her  and  cut  off  her  life; 
He  cast  down  her  body  and  stood  upon  it. 
105  When  he  had  slain  Tiamat,  the  leader, 

Her  might  was  broken,  her  host  was  scattered. 
And  the  gods  her  helpers,  who  marched  by  her  side, 
Trembled,  and  were  afraid,  and  turned  back. 
They  took  to  flight  to  save  their  lives ; 
110  But   they   were    surrounded,    so    that    they    could    not 

escape. 
He  took  them  captive,  he  broke  their  weapons; 
In  the  net  they  were  caught  and  in  the  snare  they  sat 

down. 
The  ...  of  the  world  they  filled  with  cries  of  grief. 
They  received  punishment  from  him,  they  were  held  in 

bondage. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  169 

115  And  on  the  eleven  creatures  which  she  had  filled  with 
the  power  of  striking  terror, 
Upon  the  troop  of  devils,  who  marched  at  her  .  .  .  , 
He  brought  affliction,  their  strength  he  .  .  .    ; 
Them  and  their  opposition  he  trampled  under  his  feet. 
Moreover^  King-u,  who  had  been  exalted  over  them, 
120  He  conquered,  and  with  the  god  Dug-ga  he  counted  him. 
He  took  from  him  the  Tablets  of  Destiny  that  were  not 

rightly  his, 
He  sealed  them  with  a  seal  and  in  his  own  breast  he 

laid  them. 
Now  after  the  hero  Marduk  had  conquered  and  cast 

down  his  enemies. 
And  had  made  the  arrogant  foe  even  like  .  .  .  , 
125  And  had  fully  established  Ansar's  triumph   over  the 
enemy, 
And  had  attained  the  purpose  of  Nudimmud, 
Over  the  captive  gods  he  strengthened  his  durance, 
And  unto  Tiamat^  whom  he  had  conquered,  he  returned. 
Xnd  the  lord  stood  upon  Tiamat's  hinder  parts, 
130  And  with  his  merciless  club  he  smashed  her  . skull. 
He  cut  through  the  channels  of  her  blood, 
And  he  made  the  North  wind  bear  it  away  into  secret 

places. 
His  fathers  beheld,  and  they  rejoiced  and  were  glad ; 
Presents  and  gifts  they  brought  unto  him. 
135  Then  the  lord  rested,  gazing  upon  her  dead  body. 

While  he  divided  the  flesh  of  the  ...  ,  and  devised  a 

cunning  plan. 
He  splk  her  up  like  a  flat  fish  into  two  halves ; 
Q^^df  of  her  he  stablished  as  a  covering  for  heaven. 
He  fixed  a  bolt,  he  stationed  a  watchman, 
140  And  bade  them  not  to  let  her  waters  come  forth. 

He  passed  through  the  heavens,  he  surveyed  the  regions 

thereof,  ^ 

And   over   against  the  Deep  he   set   the   dwelling  ot 

Nudimmud. 
And  the  lord  measured  the  structure  of  the  Deep, 


170  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

And  he  founded  E-sara,  a  mansion  like  unto  it. 
145  The  mansion  E-sara  which  he  created  as  heaven, 

He  caused  Anu,  Bel,  and  Ea  in  their  districts  to  in- 
habit. 

THE  FIFTH  TABLET 

He  (Marduk)  made  the  stations  for  the  great  gods; 
The  stars,  their  images^  as  the  stars  of  the  Zodiac,  he 

fixed. 
He  ordained  the  year  and  into  sections  he  divided  it;. 
For  the  twelve  months  he  fixed  three  stars. 
5  After  he  had  .  .  .  the  days  of  the  year  .  .  .  images. 
He  founded  the  station  of  Nibir  ^^  to  determine  their 

bounds ; 
That  none  might  err  or  go  astray, 
He  set  the  station  of  Bel  and  Ea  along  with  him. 
He  opened  great  gates  on  both  sides, 
10  He  made  strong  the  bolt  on  the  left  and  on  the  right. 
In  the  midst  thereof  he  fixed  the  zenith ; 
The. Moon-god  he  caused  to  shine  forth,  the  night  he 

entrusted  to  him. 
He  appointed  him,  a  being  of  the  night,  to  determine 

the  days ; 
Every  month  without  ceasing  with  the  crown  he  cov- 
ered him,  saying: 
15  "  At  the  beginning  of  the  month,   when  thou  shinest 

upon  the  land. 
Thou  commandest  the  horns  to  determine  six  days, 
And  on  the  seventh  day  to  divide  the  crown. 
On  the  fourteenth  day  thou  shalt  stand  opposite,  the 

half.  ... 
When  the  Sun-god  on  the  foundation  of  heaven  .  .  . 

thee, 
20  The  .  .  .  thou   shalt   cause    to  ...  ,    and    thou   shalt 

make  his  .  .  . 
.  .  .  imto  the  path  of  the  Sun-god  shalt  thou  cause  to 

draw  nigh, 
17  Nibir  is  the  planet  Jupiter. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  171 

And  on  the  .  .  .  day  thou  shalt  stand  opposite,  and  the 

Sun-god  shall  .  .  . 
...  to  traverse  her  way. 
.  .  ,  thou  shalt  cause   to  draw  nigh,   and   thou   shalt 

judge  the  right. 
25  ...  to  destroy  .  .  ." 

[iSTearly  fifty  lines  are  here  lost.] 

75  The  gods,  his  fathers,  beheld  the  net  which  he  had  made, 

They  beheld  the  bow  and  how  its  work  was  accomplished. 

They  praised  the  work  which  he  had  done  .  .  . 

Then  Anu  raised  the  ...  in  the  assembly  of  the  gods. 

He  kissed  the  bow,  saying,  "  It  is  .  .  .    !  " 
80  And  thus  he  named  the  names  of  the  bow,  saying, 

"  '  Long-wood  '  shall  be  one  name,  and  the  second  name 
shall  be  ...  , 

And  its  third  name  shall  be  the  Bow-star,  in  heaven 
shall  it  .  .  .    !  " 

Then  he  fixed  a  station  for  it  .  .  . 

Now  after  the  fate  of  .  .  . 
85  He  set  a  throne  .  .  . 

...  in  heaven.  ^^  .  .  . 

[The  remainder  of  this  tablet  is  missing.] 

THE  SIXTH  TABLET 

When  Marduk  heard  the  word  of  the  gods. 
His  heart  prompted  him  and  he  devised  a  cunning  plan. 
He  opened  his  mouth  and  unto  Ea  he  spake 
That  which  he  had  conceived  in  his  heart  he  imparted 
unto  him : 
5  "  My  blood  ^^  will  I  take  and  bone  ^^  will  I  fashion, 

IS  In  the  speech  that  follows  it  may  be  conjectured  that  the  gods 
complained  that,  although  ^Marduk  had  endowed  the  heavens  with 
splendor  and  had  caused  plants  to  live  upon  the  earth,  yet  there  were 
no  shrines  built  in  honor  of  the  gods,  and  there  were  no  worshipers 
devoted  to  their  service. 

13  According  to  my  rendering  of  the  line,  Marduk  states  his  purpose 
oX.fprming  man  from  his,  own  Mood^  and  from  bone  which  he  will 
create. 

20  The  traces  of  the  last  sign  of  the  word  appear  to  be  those  of  turn. 


172  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

I  will  make  man,  that  man  may  .  .  . 

I  will  create  man  who  shall  inhabit  the  earth, 

That  the  service  of  the  gods  may  be  established,  and 

that  their  shrines  ^^  may  be  built. 
But  I  will  alter  the  ways  of  the  gods,  and  I  will  change 

their  paths; 
10  Together  shall  they  be  oppressed,^^  and  unto  evil  shall 

they.  .  .  ." 
And  Ea  answered  him  and  spake  the  word : 
"...  the  ...  of  the  gods  I  have  changed 
.  .  .  and  one  .  .  . 

.  .  .  shall  be  destroyed  and  men  will  I  .  .  . 
15  .  .  .  and  the  gods  .  .  . 
.  .  .  and  they  .  .  ." 

[The  rest  of  the  text  is  wanting  ^^  with  the  exception  of 
the  last  few  lines  of  the  tablet,  which  read  as  follows.] 

They  rejoiced  .  .  . 

In  Upsukkinnaku  they  set  their  dwelling. 
Of  the  heroic  son,  their  avenger,  they  cried : 
"  We,  whom  he  succored,  ...    !  " 

I  think  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  is-si-im-tum  corresponda  to  the 
Hebrew  'esem,  "  bone,"  which  is  employed  in  Genesis  ii.  23,  in  the 
phrase  'esem  me'dsamai,  "  bone  of  my  bones." 

21  It  is  interesting  to  note  the  reason  that  is  here  implied  for  the 
creation  of  mankind,  i.e.,  that  the..gods  may  have  worshipers.  There 
is  clearly  a  reference  to  this  in  line  29  of  the  seventh  tablet,  where, 
after  referring  to  Marduk's  mercy  upon  the  gods,  his  enemies,  the  text 
goes  on:  "For  their  forgiveness  did  he  create  mankind." 

22  The  sense  seems  to  be  that  Marduk,  by  the  creation  of  man,  will 
establish  the  worship  of  the  gods,  but  at  the  same  time  will  punish 
the  gods  for  their  complaints.  It  is  possible  that  in  his  speech  that 
follows  Ea  dissuades  Marduk  from  carrying  out  the  second  part  of 
his  proposal. 

23  It  is  probable  that  the  missing  portion  of  the  text  corresponded 
closely  with  the  account  of  the  creation  of  man  and  animals  given  by 
Berosus.  The  tablet  K.  3,364  ("  Cuneiform  Texts,"  part  xiii,  pi.  2!)  f.) 
has  been  thought  to  belong  to  the  Creation  Series,  and  to  contain  the 
instructions  given  by  Marduk  to  man  after  his  creation.  Had  this 
been  so,  it  would  have  formed  part  of  the  sixth  tablet.  I  have  given 
reasons  for  believing  that  the  text  inscribed  upon  K.  3,364  has  no  con- 
nection with  the  Creation  Series,  but  is  part  of  a  long  composition 
containing  moral  precepts. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  173 

145  They  seated  themselves  and  in  the  assembly  they  named 
him  .  .  .  , 
They  all  cried  aloud,  they  exalted  him  .       ^'^ 


•      • 


THE  SEVENTH  TABLET 
O  Asari,^^  "  Bestower  of  planting,"  "  Founder  of  sow- 


ing." 


"  Creator  of  grain  and  plants,"  "  who  caused  the  green 
herb  to  spring  up !  " 

O  Asaru-alim,  "  who  is  revered  in  the  house  of  coun- 
sel," "  who  aboundeth  in  counsel," 

The  gods  paid  homage,  fear  took  hold  upon  them ! 
5  0  Asaru-alim-nuna,  "  the  mighty  one,"  "  the  Light  of 
the  father  who  begat  him," 

"  Who  directeth  the  decrees  of  Anu,  Bel,  and  Ea !  " 

He  was  their  patron,  he  ordained  their  .  .  .    ; 

He,  whose  provision  is  abundance,  goeth  forth  .  .  .    ! 

Tutu  is  "  He  who  created  them  anew  "  ; 
10  Should  their  wants  be  pure,  then  are  they  satisfied ; 

Should  he  make  an  incantation,  then  are  the  gods  ap- 
peased ; 

Should  they  attack  him  in  anger,  he  withstandeth  their 
onslaught ! 

Let  him  therefore  be  exalted,  and  in  the  assembly  of  the 
gods  let  him  .  .  •    ; 

None  among  the  gods  can  rival  him! 
15  Tutu  is  Zi-ukkina,  "  the  Life  of  the  host  of  the  gods," 

Who  established  for  the  gods  the  bright  heavens. 

He  set  them  on  their" way,  and  ordained  their  path; 

Never  shall  his  .  .  .  deeds  be  forgotten  among  men. 

Tutu  as  Zi-azag  thirdly  they  named,  "  the  Bringer  of 
Purification," 
20  "The   God   of  the  Favoring  Breeze,"    "the   Lord   of 
Hearing  and  Mercy," 

24 The  address  of  the  gods  to  IMaiduk  forms  the  subject  of  the 
seventh  tablet  of  the  series. 

25  These  names  Asari,  Asaru-alim-mina,  Tutu,  etc.,  are  all  titles  now 
bestowed  on  Marduk  by  the  other  gods. 


174  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

"  The    Creator    of    Fulness    and    Abundance,''    "  the 

Founder  of  Plenteousness," 
"  Who  increaseth  all  that  is  small." 
"  In  sore  distress  we  felt  his  favoring  breeze," 
Let  them  say,  let  them  pay  reverence,  let  them  bow  in 

humility  before  him ! 
25  Tutu  as  Aga-azag  may  mankind  fourthly  magnify! 
"  The  Lord  of  the  Pure  Incantation,"  "  the  Quickener 

of  the  Dead," 
"  Who  had  mercy  upon  the  captive  gods," 
"  Who  removed  the  yoke  from  upon  the  gods  his  ene- 
mies," 
"  For  their  forgiveness  did  he  create  mankind," 
30  "  The  Merciful  One,  with  whom  it  is  to  bestow  life !  " 
May  his  deeds  endure,  may  they  never  be  forgotten 
In  the  mouth  of  mankind  whom  his  hands  have  made ! 
Tutu  as  Mu-azag,  fifthly,  his  "  Pure  Incantation  "  may 

their  mouth  proclaim, 
"  Who  through  his  Pure  Incantation  hath  destroyed  all 

the   evil   ones !  " 
35  Sag-zu,  "  who  knoweth  the  heart  of  the  gods,"   "  who 

seeth  through  the  innermost  part !  " 
"  The  evil-doer  he  hath  not  caused  to  go  forth  with 

him!" 
*'  Founder  of  the  assembly  of  the  gods,"   "  who  .  .  . 

their  heart !  " 
"  Subduer  of  the  disobedient,"  ".  .  .    !  " 
"  Director  of  Righteousness,"  ".  .  .  ," 
40  "  Who  rebellion  and  .  .  .    !  " 
Tutu  as  Zi-si,  "  the  .  .  .  ," 
"  Who  put  an  end  to  anger,"  "  who  ...    !  " 
Tutu  as  Suh-kur,  thirdly,  "  the  Destroyer  of  the  foe," 
"  Who  put  their  plans  to  confusion,"  ". 
45  "Who  destroyed  all  the  wicked,"  ".  . 


•    '    J 
J 


let  them  .  .  .    ! 


[There  is  a  gap  here  of  sixty  linos,  recommencing  with 
line  106.  But  somewhere  among  the  lost  lines  belong  the 
following  fragments.] 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  175 

He  named  the  four  quarters  of  the  world,  mankind  he 

created, 
And  upon  him  understanding  .  .  . 
"  The  mighty  one  ...    !  " 
Agil  .  .  .  , 

"  The  Creator  of  the  earth  ...    !  " 
Zulummu  .  .  .  , 

"  The  Giver  of  counsel  and  of  whatsoever  ...    ! " 
Mummu,  "  the  Creator  of  .  .  .    !  " 
Mulil,  the  heavens  .  .  .  , 
"  Who  for  .  .  .    !  " 
Giskul,  let  ...  , 
"  Who  brought  the  gods  to  naught  ...    !  " 


..."  the  Chief  of  all  lords," 

.  .  .  supreme  is  his  might ! 

Lugal-durmah,  "  the  King  of  the  band  of  the  gods," 

"  the  Lord  of  rulers." 
"  Who  is  exalted  in  a  roval  habitation  " 
"  Who  among  the  gods  is  gloriously  supreme !  " 
Adu-nuna,  "  the  Counselor  of  Ea,"  who  created  the  gods 

his  fathers, 
Unto  the  path  of  whose  majesty 
No  god  can  ever  attain ! 
...  in  Dul-azag  he  made  it  known, 
.  .  .  pure  is  his  dwelling! 
.  .  .  the  ...  of  those  without  understanding  is  Lugal- 

dul-azaga ! 
.  .  .  supreme  is  his  might ! 
.  .  .  their  ...  in  the  midst  of  Tiamat, 
...  of  the  battle ! 

[Here  follows  the  better-preserved  ending.] 

.  .  .  the  star,  which  shineth  in  the  heavens. 

May  he  hold  the  Beginning  and  the  Future,  may  they 

pay  homage  unto  him, 
Saying,  "  He  who  forced  his  way  through  the  midst  of 

Tiamat  without  resting, 


176  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Let  his  name  be  Nibiru,  '  the  Seizer  of  the  Midst ' ! 
110  For  the  stars  of  heaven  he  upheld  the  paths, 
He  shepherded  all  the  gods  like  sheep ! 
He  conquered  Tiamat,  he  troubled  and  ended  her  life," 
In  the  future  of  mankind,  when  the  days  grow  old. 
May  this  be  heard  without  ceasing;  may  it  hold  sway 
forever ! 
115  Since  he  created  the  realm  of  heaven  and  fashioned  the 
firm  earth, 
"  The  Lord  of  the  World,"  the  father  Bel  hath  called  his 

name. 
This  title,  which  all  the  Spirits  of  Heaven  proclaimed, 
Did  Ea  hear,  and  his  spirit  was  rejoiced,  and  he  said : 
"  He  whose  name  his  fathers  have  made  glorious, 
120  Shall  be  even  as  I,  his  name  shall  be  Ea  ! 

The  binding  of  all  my  decrees  shall  he  control. 
All  my  commands  shall  he  make  known !  " 
By  the  name  of  "  Fifty  "  did  the  great  gods 
Proclaim  his   fifty  names,   they  made   his   path   pre- 
eminent. 

EPILOGUE 

125  Let  them  ^^  be  held  in  remembrance,  and  let  the  first 
man  proclaim  them; 

Let   the   wise    and    the    understanding   consider    them 
together ! 

Let  the  father  repeat  them  and  teach  them  to  his  son ; 

Let  them  be  in  the  ears  of  the  pastor  and  the  shepherd ! 

Let  a  man  rejoice  in  Marduk,  the  Lord  of  the  gods, 
130  That  he  may  cause  his  land  to  be  fruitful,  and  that  he 
himself  may  have  prosperity ! 

His  word  standeth  fast,  his  command  is  unaltered ; 

The  utterance  of  his  mouth  hath  no  god  ever  annulled. 

He  gazed  in  his  anger,  he  turned  not  his  neck ; 

When  he  is  wroth,  no  god  can  withstand  his  indignation. 
135  Wide  is  his  heart,  broad  is  his  compassion ; 

The  sinner  and  evil-doer  in  his  presence  .  .  , 

26 /.e.,  the  names  of  Marduk. 


140 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  177 

They  received  instruction,  they  spake  before  him, 
.  unto  .  .  . 

.  of  Marduk  may  the  gods  .  .  . ; 
.  May  they  .  .  .  his  name  .  .  . ! 
.  they  took  and  .  .  . ; 

t  27 


27  This  is  probably  the  last  line  of  the  tablet.  It  may  here  be  noted 
that,  for  the  text  of  the  seventh  Tablet  given  in  the  precedinij  pages, 
only  those  fragments  have  been  used  which  are  proved  by  the  com- 
mentaries to  contain  missing  portions  of  the  text.  Several  other  frag- 
ments, which  from  their  contents  and  style  of  writing  may  possibly 
belong  to  copies  of  the  text,  have  not  been  included.  Tlie  text  of  one 
such  fragment  (S.  2,013)  is  of  peculiar  interest;  in  line  10  and  beyond 
it  refers  to  Ti-amat  e-li-ti  and  Ti-amat  sap-li-ti,  "The  Ocean  (Tiamat) 
which  is  above,"  and  "The  Ocean  (Tiamat)  which  is  beneath,"  a  close 
parallel  to  "  the  waters  which  were  above  the  firmament  "  and  "  the 
waters  which  were  under  the  firmament "  of  Genesis  i.  7. 


END    OF   THE  CREATION   EPIC 


VOL.  I.— 12. 


178  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


THE  CREATION  EPIC 


THE  FIGHT  WITH  TIAMAT 

(ANOTHER  VERSION)  28 

The  cities  sighed,  men  .  .  . 
Men  uttered  lamentation,  they  .  .  . 
For  their  lamentation  there  was  none  to  help, 
For  their  grief  there  was  none  to  take  them  by  the  hand. 
5  Who  was  the  dragon  .  .  .    ? 
Tiamat  ^^  was  the  dragon  .  .  . 
Bel  in  heaven  hath  formed  .  .  . 
Fifty  kaspu  in  his  length,  one  kaspu  in  his  height,^*' 

28  Strictly  speaking,  the  text  is  not  a  creation-legend,  though  it  gives 
a  variant  form  of  the  principal  incident  in  the  history  of  creation 
according  to  the  version  Enuma  elis.  Here  the  fight  with  the  dragon 
did  not  precede  the  creation  of  the  world,  but  took  place  after  men 
had  been  created  and  cities  had  been  built. 

29  The  form  of  the  name  here  used  is  Tamtu,  "  the  Sea." 

3c  The  kaspu  is  the  space  that  can  be  covered  in  two  hours'  travel- 
ing, i.e.,  about  six  or  seven  miles.  These  general  dimensions  of  the  size 
of  the  dragon  are  in  accordance  with  the  statement  made  in  line  8  of 
the  reverse  to  the  effect  that  after  the  dragon  had  been  slain  his  blood 
flowed  for  more  than  three  years.  The  second  measurement  in  the  line 
is  taken  by  Zimmern  to  refer  to  the  dragon's  breadtli,  but,  as  Jensen 
points  out,  this  is  not  consistent  with  the  measurement  of  the  mouth 
given  in  the  following  line.  Even  Zimmern's  readings  of  60  gar  in 
line  10  and  (15  gar  in  line  11  do  not  explain,  but  render  still  more 
anomalous,  the  ^2  </fl^  in  line  9.  Without  going  into  the  question  of 
the  probable  length  of  the  Babylonian  cubit,  it  is  obvious  that  the 
dragon's  breadth  can  hardly  have  been  given  as  so  many  miles,  if  its 
mouth  only  measures  so  many  feet.  This  difficulty  can  be  got  over  by 
restoring  sirutisu  in  place  of  the  suggested  rupussu  at  the  end  of  line 
8.  We  then  have  a  consistent  picture  of  the  dragon  as  a  long  thin 
snake,  rearing  his  head  on  high;  his  coils  might  well  have  been  be- 
lieved to  extend  for  three  hundred  or  three  hundred  and  fifty  miles, 
and  the  raising  of  liis  head  in  the  air  to  a  height  of  six  or  seven  miles 
would  not  be  inconsistent  with  the  measurement  of  his  mouth  aa  six 
cubits,  i.e.,  some  ten  feet  or  more  across. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  179 

Six  cubits  is  his  mouth,  twelve  cubits  his  .  .  ., 
10  Twelve  cubits  is  the  circuit  of  his  ears  .  .  . ; 

For  the  space  of  sixty  cubits  he  ...  a  bird ; 

In  water  nine  cubits  deep  he  draggeth.  .  .  . 

He  raiseth  his  tail  on  high  .  .  . ; 

All  the  gods  of  heaven  .  .  . 
15  In  heaven  the  gods  bowed  themselves  down  before  the 
Moon-god  .  .  . ; 

The  border  of  the  Moon-god's  robe  they  hastily  grasped : 

"  Who  will  go  and  slay  the  dragon, ^^ 

And  deliver  the  broad  land  from  .  .  ., 

And  become  king  over  .  .  .  ?  " 
20  "  Go,  Tishu,  slay  the  dragon, 

And  deliver  the  broad  land  from  .  .  ., 

And  become  king  over  .  .  . !  " 

"  Thou  hast  sent  me,  O  Lord,  to  .  .  .  the  raging  crea- 
tures^^ of  the  river, 

But  I  know  not  the  ...  of  the  Dragon !  " 

[The  rest  of  the  Obverse  and  the  upper  part  of  the  Reverse 
of  the  tablet  are  wanting.] 

REVERSE 


And  .  .  .  opened  his  mouth  and  spake  unto  the  god  •  .  . ; 
"  Stir  up  cloud,  and  storm  and  tempest ! 
The  seal  of  thy  life  shalt  thou  set  before  thy  face, 
Thou  shalt  grasp  it,  and  thou  shalt  slay  the  dragon." 
6  He  stirred  up  cloud,  and  storm  and  tempest, 
He  set  the  seal  of  his  life  before  his  face, 
He  grasped  it,  and  he  slew  the  dragon. 
For  three  years  and  three  months,  one  day  and  one  night 
The  blood  of  the  dragon  flowed.  .  .  . 

31  Lines  17-19  are  the  appeal  of  the  goda  to  the  Moon-god;  lines 
20-22  contain  the  address  of  the  Moon-god  to  Tishu;  and  lines  23  and 
those  following  give  Tishu's  answer  to  the  Moon-god. 

32  The  plural  may  perhaps  be  explained  by  supposing  that,  according 
to  this  version  also,  the  dragon  had  other  creatures  to  help  her  in  the 
fight. 


180  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


THE  CUTHAEAN  "  CEEATION  LEGEND  "  ^s 

COLUMN  I 
[The  upper  half  of  the  column  is  wanting.] 


He  was  lord  of  ... ; 

His  judgment  was  the  decision  of  .  .  . 

The  fiend  was  his  offspring,   the  specter   was   his   off- 
spring .  .  . ; 
5  He  was  lord  of  the  height  and  of  the  depths,  he  was  lord 
of  the  Anunnaki  .  .  . 

A  people  who  drink  turbid  water,  and  drink  not  pure 
water, 

Whose  sense  is  perverted,  had  taken  men  captive,  had 
triumphed  over  them,  and  had  committed  slaughter. 

On  a  tablet  naught  was  written,  naught  was  left  to  write.^* 
In  mine  own  person 

From  my  land  I  went  not  forth,  and  I  did  not  give  them 
battle. 
10  A  people  who  had  the  bodies  of  birds  of  the  hollow,  men 
who  had  the  faces  of  ravens, 

Had  the  great  gods  created, 

And  in  the  ground  the  gods  created  a  dwelling-place  for 
them. 

Tiamut  gave  them  such. 

The  Lady  of  gods  brought  them  into  the  world. 
15  In  the  midst  of  the  mountain  of  the  world  they  became 
strong,  they  waxed  great,  they  multiplied  exceed- 
ingly. 

33  This  is  not  really  a  creation-legend,  though  the  first  translators 
read  it  as  one,  and  so  named  it  as  above  because  it  speaks  of  the  city 
of  Cuthah.  Really  it  is  told  by  some  ancient  king  who  thanks  the 
gods  for  having  saved  his  land  from  a  horde  of  monsters. 

34  I.e.,  the  land  was  in  confusion,  so  that  no  business  was  transacted 
and  no  records  were  kept. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  181 

Seven  kings,  brethren,  fair  and  comely, 

Three  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  in  number  were  their 
forces. 

Anbanini,  their  father,  was  king;  their  mother,  Melili, 
was  queen. 

Their  eldest  brother,  their  leader,  was  named  Memangab ; 
20  Their  second  brother  was  named  Medudu ; 

Their  third  brother  was  named  .  .  .  -lul ; 

Their  fourth  brother  was  named  .  .  .  -dada ; 

Their  fifth  brother  was  named  .  .  .  -dah ; 

Their  sixth  brother  was  named  .  .  .  -ru ; 
25  Their  seventh  brother  was  named  .  .  . 

COLUMN  II 
[The  upper  half  of  the  column  ^^  is  wanting.] 


Evil  fiends  and  demons  that  lie  in  wait  .  .  . 
Pursuing  after  a  man,  turned  him  from  his  purpose. 
In  .  .  .  did  I  .  .  . 
5  ...  an  evil  curse  was  cast  upon  the  lands. 
I  cried  unto  the  magicians,  and  I  directed  them, 
I  set  out  the  lambs  for  sacrifice  in  rows  of  seven. 
I  placed  there  also  the  holy  .  .  ., 
And  I  inquired  of  the  great  gods, 
10  Of  Ishtar,  and    .  .  .,  and  Zamama,  and  Anunitum, 
And  .  .  .,  and  Shamash,  the  warrior. 
And  the  gods  commanded  me  that  I  should  go,  but  .  .  . 

they  gave  not  unto  me. 
Then  spake  I  unto  my  heart. 
Saying :  "  By  my  life ! 
Who  is  .  .  .  my  friend  ? 
15  Who  is  ...  a  sorcerer? 

But  I  will  go,  since  I  have  put  my  trust  in  the  .  .  .  of 

my  heart, 
And  my  weapon  of  iron  will  I  take !  " 

35  The  missing  portion  of  the  column  probably  continued  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  hordes  of  monsters,  who  were  oppressing  the  land.  The 
king  then  inquires  of  the  gods  whether  he  should  give  the  enemy  battle. 


182  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

As  the  first  year  drew  nigh, 

One  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  warriors  I  sent  out, 
but  not  one  returned  alive. 
20  As  the  second  year  drew  nigh,  ninety  thousand  warriors 
I  sent  out,  but  not  one  returned  alive. 
As  the  third  year  drew  nigh,  sixty  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred warriors  I  sent  out,  but  not  one  returned  alive. 
Despairing,  powerless,  and  afflicted,  I  was  full  of  woe, 

and  I  groaned  aloud, 
And  I  spake  unto  my  heart,  saying :  "  By  my  life ! 
What  have  I  brought  upon  my  realm  ? 
25  I  am  a  king  who  hath  brought  no  prosperity  unto  his 
country, 

COLUMN  III 

"  And  a  shepherd  who  hath  brought  no  prosperity  unto 

his  people. 
But  this  thing  will  I  do.     In  mine  own  person  will  I  go 

forth ! 
The  pride  of  men,  and  night,  and  death,  and  disease,  and 

trembling, 
And  fear,  and  terror,  and  .  .  .,  and  hunger, 
5  And  famine,  and  misery  of  every  kind 
Pursue  after  their  .  .  . 
But  ...  let  there  be  a  deluge, 
.  .  .  the  deluge  of  old  time !  " 
Then  the  god  .  .  .  spake,^® 
10  And  said  .  .  . : 
"  The  gods  .  .  . 

Thou  didst  speak  unto  me  and  .  .  . 
And  to  make  .  .  .  thou  .  .  ." 
The  New  Year's  Feast  in  the  fourth  year  .  .  ., 
15  With  supplications  unto  Ea,  the  ...  of  the  great  gods, 

36  It  would  seem  that  one  of  the  gods  urged  the  king  to  make  offer- 
ings and  supplication  at  the  Feast  of  the  New  Year,  before  undertaking 
his  fourth  expedition.  From  lines  14  and  those  following  it  is  clear 
that  the  king  followed  the  god's  advice;  and,  from  the  conclusion  of 
Column  IV,  it  may  be  inferred  that  he  at  last  met  with  success  against 
his  enemies. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  183 

Pure  offerings  for  the  Feast  of  the  New  Year  .  .  ., 
Pure  omens  .  .  . 

I  cried  unto  the  magicians,  and  I  directed  them, 
I  set  out  the  lambs  for  sacrifice  in  rows  of  seven. 
20  I  placed  there  also  the  holy  .  .  ., 
And  I  inquired  of  the  great  gods, 
Of  Ishtar,  and  .  .  .,  and  Zamama,  and  Anuntium, 
And  .  .  .,  and  Shamash,  the  warrior, 
the  son  .  .  . 

[The  lower  half  of  the  column  is  wanting,^^  except  for 
traces  of  what  is  probably  the  last  line  of  the  column,  pre- 
served by  K.  5,640.] 

COLUMN  IV 

Together  with  .  .  . 

The  people  did  not  .  .  . 

The  city  of  the  foe  .  .  . 

That  city  ... 
5  Unto  .  .  .  there  was  .  .  . 

A  mighty  king  .  .  . 

The  gods  .  .  . 

My  hand  .  .  .  did  not  conquer  them. 

Thou,  O  king,  or  ruler,  or  prince,  or  any  one  whatsoever, 
10  Whom  the  god  shall  call  to  rule  over  the  kingdom, 

A  tablet  concerning  these  matters  have  I  made  for  thee, 
and  a  record  have  I  written  for  thee. 

In  the  city  of  Cuthah,  in  the  temple  E-shidlam, 

In  the  shrine  of  Nergal,  have  I  deposited  it  for  thee. 

Behold  this  memorial  tablet, 
15  And  barken  unto  the  words  thereof, 

And  thou  shalt  not  despair,  nor  be  feeble. 

And  thou  shalt  not  fear,  nor  be  affrighted. 

Stablish  thyself  firmly. 

Sleep  in  peace  beside  thy  wife, 

37  It  is  clear  that  in  the  missing  portion  of  the  column  tlie  king 
describes  the  defeat  of  his  foes,  since  in  Column  IV  he  refers  to  the 
record  of  his  history  as  an  encouragement  to  future  princes  who  may 
succeed  him  on  the  throne. 


184  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

20  Strengthen  thy  walls, 

Fill  thy  trenches  with  water, 

Bring  in  thy  treasure-chests,  and  thy  corn  and  thy  silver, 

and  thy  goods,  and  thy  possessions. 
And  thy  .  .  .,  household  stuff. 
Fix  firmly  the  .  •  .,  and  build  surrounding  walls. 
25  Guard  thy  body  and  take  heed  for  thy  person. 
.  .  .,  thou  shalt  not  go  out  unto  him, 
,  .  .,  thou  shalt  not  draw  nigh  unto  him. 
thv  3* 

[The  lower  half  of  the  column  is  wanting.] 


THE  EIVER  OF  CREATION 

O  thou  River,  who  didst  create  all  things. 
When  the  great  gods  dug  thee  out. 
They  set  prosperity  upon  thy  banks, 
Within  thee  Ea,  the  King  of  the  Deep,  created  his  dwelling, 
The  deluge  they  sent  not  before  thou  wert ! 
Fire,  and  wrath,  and  splendor,  and  terror 
Have  Ea  and  Marduk  presented  unto  thee ! 
Thou  judgest  the  cause  of  mankind ! 

O  River,  thou  art  mighty!     O  River,  thou  art  supreme! 
O  River,  thou  art  righteous ! 

a«  In  thia  address  to  future  rulers,  the  general  moral  which  the  king 
would  draw  from  his  own  history  appears  to  be  that  safety  is  to  be 
found  in  following  the  commands  of  the  gods.  Furthermore,  he  recom- 
mends his  successors  upon  tlie  throne  not  to  take  the  field  against  an 
invading  foe,  but  to  shelter  themselves  behind  the  walls  of  the  city  of 
Cuthah. 


THE  GKEAT  AGE  OF  BABYLONIA 
(2100-1100  B.C.) 


THE  EPIC  OF  GILGAMESH 
AND  THE  GODDESS  ISHTAR 


"  Bring  into  the  ship  seed  of  all  living  things! 
The  ship  that  thou  shalt  build." 

—  GILGAMESH  EPIC. 


""  On  the  sinner  impose  his  sin. 
On  the  evil-doer  impose  his  evil, 

But  he  merciful  not  to  root  out  completely;  he  considerate  not  to 
destroy  altogether." 

—  GILGAMESH  EPIC. 


THE  GILGAMESH  EPIC 

(INTRODUCTION  BY  PROFESSOR  MORRIS  JASTROW.  Jb.) 

THE  story  of  the  adventures  of  Gilgamesh  is  the  most 
considerable  literary  production  that  has  come  do\vn  to 
us  from  ancient  Babylonia.  Unfortunately,  it  has  not  been 
preserved  in  complete  form.  With  the  exception  of  a  single 
fragment  written  in  the  older  form  of  Babylonian  cuneiform, 
all  the  other  portions  of  the  tablet  are  kno^vn  to  us  from  the 
late  Assyrian  copies  found  in  the  remains  of  the  remarkable 
clay  library  of  King  Ashur-banipal,  of  Assyria  (668-626 
B.C.),  which  he  gathered  in  his  palace  at  Nineveh  and  which 
was  unearthed  by  Layard  in  the  course  of  his  excavations  on 
the  site  of  Nineveh,  opposite  Mosul.  These  fragments, 
belonging  to  various  copies,  show  that  the  adventures  of  the 
famous  hero  were  recounted  in  a  series  of  twelve  tablets,  and 
there  are  reasons  for  believing,  as  first  suggested  by  Sir 
Henry  C.  Rawlinson,  that  there  is  some  relationship  between 
the  twelve  tablets  and  the  twelve  months  of  the  year.  Thus 
in  the  sixth  tablet  the  rejection  by  Gilgamesh  of  the  advances 
made  by  the  goddess  Ishtar,  the  goddess  of  love  and  vegeta- 
tion and  general  fertility,  is  probably  a  reflection  of  the  de- 
cline of  vegetation  after  the  summer  season  had  reached  its 
height ;  and  again,  the  story  of  a  destructive  deluge,  related  in 
the  eleventh  tablet,  is  clearly  associated  with  the  eleventh 
month,  in  which  the  rains  and  storms  of  the  wintry  season  are 
at  their  height. 

The  name  "  Gilgamesh  "  itself  is  of  foreign  origin,  which 
points  to  a  non-Babylonian  source  for  at  least  the  basis  of  the 
tale.  The  home  of  Gilgamesh  appears  to  have  been  in  an- 
cient Elam,  lying  to  the  east  of  the  Euphrates  valley.  In  the 
tale  itself,  however,  he  is  associated  with  the  city  of  Uruk, 
one  of  the  chief  cities  in  the  southern  section  of  the  Eu- 
phrates valley,  a  city  which  played  a  prominent  part  in  the 

187 


188  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

old  Sumerian  and  in  the  later  Akkadian  period.  The  name 
Gilgamesh  is  written  with  the  determinative  for  deity,  and  in 
one  passage  of  the  epic  he  is  described  as  two-thirds  god. 
This  would  not  necessarily  mean  that  Gilgamesh  was  orig- 
inally a  deity,  but  rather  that,  as  frequently  happens,  a  great 
popular  hero  was  identified  with  some  god.  In  the  case  of 
Gilgamesh  the  deity  with  whom  he  is  thus  associated  appears 
to  have  been  the  Sun-god.  In  the  episode  with  the  goddess 
Ishtar  he  plays  much  the  same  part  as  does  the  Sumerian 
deity  Tammuz  (or,  to  give  his  fuller  name,  Du-mu-zi-apsu, 
meaning  "legitimate  child  of  the  deep"),  who  was  a  solar 
deity  regarded  as  both  the  son  and  the  consort  of  the  goddess 
Ishtar.  Besides  the  epic,  a  hymn  to  Gilgamesh  has  been  pre- 
served which  celebrates  him  as  a  solar  deity,  and  he  is  also 
invoked  in  incantations  and  included  in  omens.  The  name 
also  occurs  in  the  list,  printed  in  the  present  volume,  giving 
the  names  of  the  earliest  rulers  of  Babylonia.^  The  length 
of  the  reigns  (100  to  1200  years)  assigned  to  these  rulers 
shows  that  they  are  purely  fabulous,  though  it  is  not  impos- 
sible that  some  of  those  mentioned  may  represent  real  per- 
sonages, who  have  been  relegated  to  the  realm  of  legend  and 
myth.     According  to  this  list,  Gilgamesh  ruled  126  years. 

There  are,  therefore,  some  reasons  for  supposing  that  Gil- 
gamesh may  have  been  a  very  ancient  conqueror  who  came 
from  Elam  and  established  his  rule  in  the  city  of  Uruk.  His 
father  appears  to  have  been  a  "  lord  of  Kullab  "  and  his 
mother  was  the  goddess  Nin-sun.  How  he  came  to  be  the 
popular  hero  of  Babylonia  and  of  Assyria  it  is  quite  impos- 
sible to  say.  Traditions  in  regard  to  his  superhuman 
strength  may  have  formed  an  element  in  bringing  about  the 
position  which  Gilgamesh  occupies  in  the  epic.  At  all  events 
he  becomes  the  favorite  personage  of  whom  all  manner  of 
exploits  are  related,  attaching  to  himself  popular  myths  and 
associated  with  all  kinds  of  traditions. 

1  See  also  Arno  Poebel,  "  Historical  and  Grammatical  Texts "  No. 
2  ( Publications  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  Museum,  Babylonian 
Section,  Vol.  IV.,  No.  1,  Philadelphia,  1914).  See  Barton,  "Archaeol- 
ogy and  the  Bible,"  p.  264. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  189 

The  Gilgamesh  Epic,  like  all  compositions  of  the  ancient 
Orient,  is  a  composite  production.  The  old  Babylonian  frag- 
ment above  referred  to,  dating  from  the  Hammurapi  period, 
shows  that  the  epic  had  already  taken  shape  as  early,  at  least, 
as  2000  B.C.  Whether  it  was  complete  at  that  time  it  is 
impossible  to  say.  From  internal  evidence,  however,  it 
seems  safe  to  assert  that  it  received  the  shape  in  which  we 
find  it  in  the  fragment  of  Ashur-banipal's  library  as  early  as 
1500  B.C.  By  a  careful  analysis  we  are  still  able  to  follow 
the  process  of  the  gradual  growth  of  the  epic  by  adding  one 
episode  after  the  other ;  and  it  is  also  evident  from  the  very 
minor,  and  in  some  cases  purely  incidental,  part  played  by 
Gilgamesh,  that  he  had  no  connection  originally  with  some  of 
the  episodes.  He  is  more  or  less  artificially  brought  into  con- 
nection with  these  episodes,  though  the  attempt  is  also  made 
to  weld  the  various  tales  together  so  as  to  form  a  tolerably 
continuous  story. 

The  fragmentary  form  of  the  tablets  which  have  been  pre- 
served makes  a  complete  translation  impossible.  Hence  for 
the  present  volume  explanations  connect  the  portions  which 
can  be  fully  and  surely  understood.  Several  summaries  of 
the  epic  have  been  given  to  the  English  reading  public,  but 
the  present  is  the  fullest  translation  which  has  yet  been  issued 
in  our  language. 


THE  GILGAMESH  EPIC 

FIRST  TABLET 

The  epic  begins  with  the  description  of  the  hero  who  saw 
everything,  who  in  the  course  of  his  career  acquired  wisdom 
and  penetrated  into  the  mystery  of  things,  and  who  passed 
through  many  trials.  As  a  ruler  of  Uruk  his  work  in  build- 
ing a  wall  around  the  city  and  his  erection  of  the  famous 
temple  E-anna  are  singled  out  for  special  mention.  He  is 
described  as 

"  Two-thirds  god  and  one-third  man." 

It  is  related  how  he  forced  the  people  of  Uruk  to  such  hard 
service  in  carrying  out  his  building  operations  as  to  lead  them 
to  appeal  to  the  gods  for  deliverance  from  the  tyranny  of 
their  ruler.     They  implore  the  goddess  Aruru : 

"  Thou,  Aruru,  has  created  Gilgamesh. 

Now  create  a  rival  to  him ! 

At  the  time  when  it  pleases  him  let  him  come. 

Let  them  strive  with  one  another, 

So  that  Uruk  may  have  rest." 

Thus  incidental  to  the  story  there  follows  a  description  of 
the  creation  of  a  human  being  by  Aruru,  which  evidently 
embodies  an  earlier  tradition  ^  of  the  way  in  which  mankind 
came  into  being,  produced  directly  by  the  gods. 

•When  Aruru  heard  this, 

She  made  in  her  heart  a  likeness  of  Anu.^ 

Aruru  washed  her  hands,  took  a  piece  of  clay  and  spat  on  it. 

Engidu  she  created,  the  hero,  a  lofty  offspring, 

2  Tlie  Sumerians  and  Akkadians  liad  various  traditions  of  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world  and  of  the  production  of  mankind.  See  the  earlier 
papes  of  this  volume. 

3  The  supreme  god  of  heaven. 

190 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  191 

Covered  with  hair  was  his  whole  body, 
He  wore  his  hair  like  a  woman. 


He  knew  nothing  of  land  or  peoples ; 

He  was  clothed  like  the  god  Sumukau. 

With  the  gazelles  he  eats  herbs, 

With  the  cattle  he  drinks  at  the  trough, 

With  the  living  swarm  of  the  water  is  his  heart  contented. 

The  description  is  clearly  that  of  primeval  man,  living  in 
a  wild  state  of  nature,  close  to  the  animal-world  and  half- 
animal  himself  in  his  appearance.  In  order  to  bring  this 
tale,  or  myth,  which  clearly  had  an  existence  independent  of 
the  Gilgamesh  Epic,  into  association  with  the  hero,  the  plan 
is  formed  bv  a  hunter  and  his  father  to  induce  Engidu  to 
leave  his  animal  companions  and  come  to  Gilgamesh  in  order 
to  become  his  rival.  A  maiden,  described  as  a  harlot,  is 
brought  to  the  trough  where  Engidu  comes  to  drink  with  the 
beasts  and  cattle ;  she  is  to  lure  him  by  her  charms,  and  suc- 
ceeds in  doing  so.  In  the  frank  manner  of  primitive  tales 
the  love-scene  between  Engidu  and  the  maiden  is  described  in 
a  manner  to  leave  nothing  to  the  imagination.  After  satiat- 
ing himself  with  the  charms  of  the  harlot  for  six  days  and 
seven  nights,  a  complete  change  has  come  over  Engidu,  who 
now  no  longer  finds  any  pleasure  in  the  animals  about  him. 
Indeed,  the  latter  recognize  the  change  and  flee  from  him. 
The  harlot  says  to  Engidu: 

"  Beautiful  art  thou,  Engidu,  like  a  god  art  thou ; 

Why  dost  thou  wish  to  dash  across  the  field  with  the  swarm 

of  animals  ? 
Come,  I  will  take  thee  to  the  enclosed  Uruk, 
To  the  pure  house,  the  dwelling  of  Ann  and  Ishtar, 
Where  Gilgamesh  dwells,  unique  in  strength 
And,  like  a  wild  bull,  powerfully  rules  the  people." 

To  further  stir  up  his  ambition  she  tells  him  of  two  dreama 
that  Gilgamesh  had,  foretelling  a  coming  test  of  strength  with 
another  hero.     Engidu  understands  the  purport  and  agrees 


192  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

to   go   to   Gilgamesh.     In   this   way   the   two   are  brought 
together. 

SECOND  AND  THIRD  TABLETS 

The  second  tablet  is  very  imperfectly  preserved.  Indeed, 
it  is  difficult  to  determine  the  dividing  line  between  the  sec- 
ond and  third  tablets.  From  an  analysis  of  the  fragments, 
which  must  belong  to  the  one  or  the  other,  we  gather  that  after 
a  tussle  between  the  two  heroes  they  strike  up  a  friendship, 
and  further  plan  an  exploit,  which  they  are  to  undertake  in 
common,  to  proceed  to  a  cedar  wood  in  which  a  tyrant  Khum- 
baba  reigns.  For  some  reason,  which,  until  further  frag- 
ments shall  have  been  discovered,  is  puzzling,  Engidu  is 
either  lured  back  to  the  wilderness  and  once  more  becomes  a 
companion  of  the  animals,  or  in  a  dream  is  transported  to  his 
former  state.  He  laments  the  enticement  of  the  harlot  which 
had  led  him  away  from  his  haunts.  On  seal  cylinders  this 
picture  of  the  wild,  primitive  man  with  the  long  locks,  and 
either  naked  or  clothed  in  skins  and  surrounded  by  animals, 
or  in  conflict  with  them,  is  frequently  depicted.* 

Engidu  is  represented  as  cursing  the  harlot  who,  at  the 
instigation  of  the  hunter,  brought  him  to  Uruk ;  but  the  Sun- 
god  Shamash  intervenes  and  shows  him  the  benefits  conferred 
by  the  harlot  and  recalls  to  him  the  outlook  for  a  happy  life 
in  conjunction  with  his  royal  friend  Gilgamesh.  Engidu  is 
reconciled  to  his  companionship  with  Gilgamesh,  but  is  again 
disturbed  by  terrible  dreams  in  which  he  is  carried  away  by 
demons  to  the  lower  world.  The  description  of  this  abode  of 
the  dead  is  interesting. 

The  dwelling  into  which  one  enters,  and  from  which  one  may 

not  go  out. 
To  the  road  from  which  one  does  not  return, 
To  the  house  whose  inhabitants  are  deprived  of  light, 
Where  earth  is  their  food,  clay  their  nourishment, 
Covered  are  they  like  birds  with  feathers, 
They  do  not  see  the  light. 
They  dwell  in  darkness. 

*Ward,  "Seal  Cylinders  of  Western  Asia,"  Chapters  VII.  and  X. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  193 

The  description  tallies  with  the  one  given  at  the  beginning 
of  the  story  of  the  Descent  of  Ishtar  into  the  nether  world,  of 
which  a  translation  will  be  found  in  a  later  section. 

FOURTH  AND  FIFTH  TABLETS 

The  chief  episode  dealt  with  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  tablets 
is  the  overthrow  of  the  tyrant  Khumbaba,  who  is  pictured  as 
dwelling  in  a  magnificent  wood  of  cedars  in  a  far-off  country. 
The  meaning  of  the  episode  is  obscure  and,  unfortunately, 
the  fragmentary  condition  of  the  two  tablets  in  question 
makes  it  impossible  to  give  even  a  definite  answer  to  the  very 
natural  question  of  the  situation  of  the  cedar  forest  where 
the  tyrant  dwelt.  Until  recently  the  general  opinion  was  in 
favor  of  regarding  Khumbaba  as  a  ruler  of  Elam  (to  the  east 
of  Babylonia)  and  of  placing  the  seat  of  his  rule  somewhere 
in  the  mountainous  regions  to  the  northeast  of  Babylonia. 
It  is  not,  however,  certain  that  Khumbaba  is  an  Elamitic 
name,  and  there  are  various  indications  which  speak  in  favor 
of  seeking  for  the  cedar  forest  in  the  Amauus  mountains 
(northern  Syria),  or  perhaps  in  the  region  still  farther  north. 
Gilgamesh,  accompanied  by  Engidu,  is  to  proceed  against  the 
tyrant.  Both  appear  to  be  in  mortal  terror  of  the  outcome  of 
the  conflict.  The  mother  of  Gilgamesh,  who  is  the  goddess 
K^in-sun,  prays  to  the  Sun-god  Shamash  to  protect  her 
son,  and  accompanies  the  prayer  with  an  offering.  She 
raises  her  hands  to  Shamash : 

"  Why  hast  thou  stirred  up  the  heart  of  my  son  Gilgamesh, 

So  that  he  finds  no  rest  ?   . 

Thou  hast  stirred  him  up  so  that  he  wishes  to  take 

The  distant  way  to  the  home  of  Khumbaba. 

A  fiffht  unknown  to  him  will  he  encounter, 

On  a  way  unknown  to  him  will  he  proceed. 

Engidu's  terror  manifests  itself  in  several  troublesome 
dreams  which  are  sent  to  him,  but  which  apparently  are  inter- 
preted as  an  indication  that  Gilgamesh  will  triumph.  They 
proceed  and  at  last  reach  the  cedar  forest,  which  arouses  their 
astonishment. 

VOL.  I.— 13. 


194  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

They  stood  and  gazed  at  the  forest; 

They  regarded  the  great  height  of  the  cedars ; 

They  looked  for  the  entrance  to  the  wood  in  which  Khum- 

baba  wanders,  measuring  his  steps. 
The  roads  are  well  laid  out,  the  paths  cleared, 
They  behold  the  mount  of  cedars,  the  dwelling  of  the  gods. 
The  sanctuary  of  Irnini. 

The  description  of  the  conflict  with  Khumbaba  is  almost 
entirely  lacking.  It  would  appear  that,  before  the  ruler  him- 
self is  approached,  Gilgamesh  and  Engidu  are  obliged  to 
engage  the  guardian  of  the  forest  in  mortal  combat.  They 
succeed  in  dispatching  him,  and,  when  the  text  again  becomes 
clear,  we  find  the  two  heroes  returning  from  their  perilous 
undertaking  in  triumph.  It  may  be  that  the  entire  episode 
recalls  the  dimmed  recollection  of  some  conflict  between 
the  Babylonians  and  some  mountainous  groups  —  possibly 
Hittites  —  who  not  infrequently  threatened  the  Euphrates 
valley  with  invasion.  If  this  be  the  case  it  follows  that  Gil- 
gamesh and  Engidu  had  originally  nothing  to  do  with  the 
episode  itself  and  are  merely  brought  into  connection  with  it 
as  the  result  of  the  tendency  to  ascribe  all  the  great  deeds  of 
the  past  to  the  favorite  hero  in  association  with  his  beloved 
companion. 

SIXTH  TABLET 

In  Tablet  Six  we  have  as  the  main  episode  one  which  is 
clearly  mythical  in  character.  The  goddess  Ishtar,  attracted 
by  the  beauty  and  the  achievements  of  Gilgamesh,  falls  in 
love  with  him  and  proposes  marriage  to  him. 

The  majestic  Ishtar  directed  her  gaze  to  the  beauty  of  Gilga- 
mesh. 
"  Come,  Gilgamesh,  be  my  husband,  grant  me  thy  seed ; 
Aye,  grant  me. 

Be  thou  my  husband,  let  me  be  thy  wife. 
I  will  harness  with  thee  a  chariot  of  lapis  lazuli  and  gold, 
With  wheels  of  gold  and  with  horns  of  precious  stones, 
Mighty  horses  shalt  thou  harness  daily  to  it, 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  195 

Entering  into  our  house  amidst  the  perfume  of  cedars. 

On  thy  entering  into  our  house,  those  seated  on  the  throne 

will  kiss  thy  feet, 
Kings  and  lords  and  all  the  great  will  bow  down  to  thee. 
Bringing  to  thee  as  tribute  the  treasures  of  mountain  and 

land." 

In  this  strain  the  goddess  proceeds  in  the  hope  of  leading 
Gilgamesh  by  the  attractions  that  she  offers  him  —  wealth, 
glory,  and  tribute.  Gilgamesh,  however,  declines,  and  in 
justification  reminds  the  goddess  of  the  sad  fate  that  had  pur- 
sued her  former  lovers. 

"  Which  of  thy  husbands  didst  thou  love  forever  ? 
Verily  I  will  recount  all  thy  misdeeds. 


Tammuz,  thy  youthful  husband,  thou  causest  to  weep  every 

year; 
To  the  young  shepherd  thou  didst  make  love. 
Thou  didst  beat  him  and  break  his  wings, 
Now  he  stands  in  the  woods  and  laments,  '  Oh,  my  wing.' 
Thou  didst  love  a  lion  perfect  in  strength. 
Seven  times  and  again  seven,  thou  didst  dig  traps  for  him. 
Thou  didst  win  the  love  of  a  spirited  horse :  whip,  spur,  and 

thong  thou  didst  decree  for  him ; 
To  dash  along  for  seven  double  hours  thou  didst  decree  for 

him. 
To  raise  up  dust  and  then  to  drink,  thou  didst  decree  for  him. 
For  his  mother,  the  goddess  Silili,  thou  didst  decree  weeping. 
Thou  didst  win  the  love  of  the  shepherd,  the  guardian  who 

daily  .  .  .  for  thee,  daily  slaughtered  a  kid; 
Thou  didst  beat  him,  change  him  into  a  wolf, 
His  own  shepherd  boys  drove  him  off. 
His  own  doffs  bit  his  skin. 
Thou  didst  win  the  love  of  Ishullanu,  the  gardener  of  thy 

father. 


196  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Who  always  brought  you  a  bunch  of  flowers, 

That  daily  shone  on  thy  table: 

Thou  didst  raise  thy  eyes  to  him,  enticing  him, 

'  Dear  Ishullanu,  let  me  enjoy  thy  love, 

Draw  forth  thy  hand  and  touch  .  .  .' 

Ishullanu  spoke  to  thee, 

'  What  do  you  desire  of  me  ? 

Has  my  mother  not  baked,  have  I  not  eaten. 

That  I  should  eat  food  of  mischief  and  curses,  thorns,  and 

thistles  .  .  .    ?' 
Thou  didst  hear  this  speech  of  his. 
Thou  didst  bite  him  and  change  him  into  a  .  .  . 
Gave  him  a  dwelling  in  the  midst  of  .  .  . 
Where  he  can  not  mount  to  the  roof  nor  descend.  .  .  . 
And  now  you  seek  my  love  and  will  deal  with  me  as  with 

them." 

The  goddess  Ishtar,  sorely  wounded  in  her  pride,  rushes  in 
anger  to  her  father  Ann,  who  dwells  in  the  highest  heaven. 

When  Ishtar  heard  this, 

Ishtar  grew  furious  and  mounted  to  heaven. 

Ishtar  went  to  Anu,  her  father. 

To  Antu,  her  mother,  she  went  and  spoke : 

"  Oh,  my  father, 

Gilgamesh  has  cursed  me, 

Gilgamesh  has  rehearsed  my  misdeeds, 

My  misdeeds,  and  my  curses." 

The  goddess  calls  upon  her  father  to  create  a  heavenly  bull 
and  to  send  him  to  Uruk  and  there  kill  Gilgamesh.  Anu 
grants  the  request,  and  the  bull,  of  extraordinary  strength,  is 
sent  down  to  Uruk.  Many  hundreds  are  slain  by  him,  but 
finally  Gilgamesh  and  Engidu  succeed  in  dispatching  the 
monster.  Ishtar,  more  furious  than  ever,  mounts  the  wall  of 
Uruk  and  pronounces  a  curse. 

"  Woe  to  Gilgamesh,  who  has  offended  me. 
Who  has  killed  the  heavenly  bull." 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  197 

When  Engidu  heard  this  speech  of  Ishtar  he  tore  off  the 
right  thigh  of  the  heavenly  bull  and  threw  it  into  her  face. 
He  cried, 

"  Could  I  catch  thee, 

As  I  have  done  to  him  I  would  do  to  thee, 

I  would  tie  his  entrails  to  thy  side." 

Thus  to  injury  insult  is  added  by  Engidu,  who  pays  dearly 
for  his  rashness  by  being  smitten  with  disease,  which,  after 
twelve  days,  brings  about  his  death.  Before  that,  however, 
Gilgamesh  and  Engidu  enjoy  their  triumph  over  the  bull. 

The  rage  of  Ishtar,  who  assembles  her  maidens,  her  sacred 
priests  and  priestesses,  knows  no  bounds.  For  all  that,  Gil- 
gamesh marches  in  triumph  with  Engidu  through  the  streets 
of  the  city  and,  as  they  pass,  the  people  sing  out : 

"  Who  is  beautiful  among  men. 
Who  is  glorious  among  heroes  ?  " 

To  which  the  response  comes,  presumably  from  the  women, 

"  Gilgamesh  is  beautiful  among  men, 
Gilgamesh  is  glorious  among  heroes." 

The  horns  of  the  bull,  which  are  described  as  weighing  the 
equivalent  of  30  minas  of  lapis  lazuli,  Gilgamesh  fills  with 
fine  oil  and  offers  up  to  his  god  Lugalbanda.  That  night, 
however,  Engidu  is  troubled  with  dreams  foreboding  his  own 
death. 

It  is  evident  that  the  episode  between  Gilgamesh  and  Ish- 
tar on  the  one  hand,  and  Engidu  and  the  goddess  on  the 
other,  portrays  one  and  the  same  myth,  intended  to  depict  the 
change  of  the  summer  to  the  wintry  season.  Ishtar,  the  god- 
dess of  vegetation  and  fertility,  of  love  and  joy,  woos  Tam- 
muz,  the  Sun-god  of  the  spring,  but  after  some  months  the 
summer  wanes  and  the  god  of  spring  is  slain.  The  other 
lovers  of  Ishtar  symbolize  the  beauty,  the  strength,  the  fer- 
tility, charm,  and  glory  of  vegetation  and  flowers,  fertility 
among  animals  in  the  spring  —  but  all  this  manifestation  of 


198  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

glory  and  power  and  beauty  and  strength  is  transitory.  The 
lovers  of  Ishtar  are  all  doomed  to  be  betrayed  by  her.  The 
change  from  the  summer  to  the  winter  season  is  thus  pic- 
tured as  the  faithlessness  of  the  goddess  of  love.  Gilgamesh 
himself,  it  will  be  recalled,  is  the  Sun-god,  and  in  thus  reject- 
ing the  advances  of  the  goddess  he  symbolizes,  through  the 
punishment  soon  to  overtake  him  also,  the  beginning  of  the 
decline  of  the  summer  season.  The  same  thought  underlies 
the  illness  of  Engidu,  which  ends  fatally.  The  summer  dies 
—  slain  by  the  very  power  of  nature  that  brings  forth  the 
glories  of  vegetation.  The  symbolism  of  the  divine  bull 
would  be  clearer  if  the  episode  ended  with  the  killing  of  Gil- 
gamesh through  the  monster,  for,  according  to  the  version  cur- 
rent in  antiquity,  Tammnz,  or  Adonis,  is  slain  by  a  wild 
boar.  It  is  plausible  to  assume  that  variations  of  mythical 
episodes  were  introduced  into  such  a  production  as  the  Gil- 
gamesh story,  in  order  on  the  one  hand  to  add  interest  to  the 
tale  and,  on  the  other,  to  glorify  the  power  and  extraordinary 
strength  of  the  hero.  Engidu  is  rather  artificially  brought 
into  connection  with  the  episode  by  making  him  tear  off  the 
right  thigh  of  the  bull  and  throw  it  into  the  face  of  the  en- 
raged goddess.  The  touch  is  introduced  in  order  to  account 
for  the  immediate  death  of  Engidu,  whereas  Gilgamesh  is 
merely  smitten  with  disease  from  which  he  seeks  healing. 
Attention  has  already  been  called  to  the  fact  that  Gilgamesh's 
rejection  of  the  advances  of  Ishtar  is  recounted  in  the  sixth 
tablet,  corresponding,  therefore,  to  the  sixth  month,  in  which 
the  summer  begins  to  wane. 

SEVENTH  AND  EIGHTH  TABLETS 

Of  these  two  tablets,  again,  only  small  sections  remain. 
They  tell  of  the  death  of  Engidu  and  of  the  lament  of  Gil- 
gamesh for  his  unfortunate  friends.  The  death-scene  of 
Engidu  is  most  impressively  described. 

"  Engidu,  my  young  friend  (the  panther  of  the  field), 
•Who  surpassed  in  strength  everything  so  that  we  ascended 
the  mountain. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  199 

Seized  the  heavenly  bull  and  slew  him, 

Overthrew  Khumbaba,  who  dwelt  in  the  forest  of  cedars. 

What  is  the  sleep  that  has  now  seized  thee  ? 

Thy  appearance  is  somber ;  thou  dost  not  hear  my  voice." 

But  he  does  not  lift  up  his  eyes. 

He  {i.e.,  Gilgamesh)  touched  his  heart;  it  beat  no  more. 

Then  he  covered  his  friend  like  a  .  .  .  bride. 

NINl'H  AND  TENTH  TABLETS 

The  ninth  tablet  opens  with  Gilgamesh 's  bitter  lament  for 
the  death  of  his  companion  Engidu,  and  this  lament,  fre- 
quently repeated,  also  pervades  the  tenth  tablet. 

Gilgamesh  for  Engidu,  his  friend. 

Weeps  bitterly,  rushing  across  the  roads. 

"  I  myself  will  die,  and  will  then  be  like  Engidu. 

Woe  has  entered  my  heart. 

Fear  of  death  has  seized  me,  therefore  I  wander  across  the 

roads. 
To  the  ancestor  Ut-napishtim,  son  of  Ubara-tutu, 
I  will  take  the  way  and  forthwith  go.' 


n 


The  restlessness  of  the  hero,  bowed  down  with  grief,  is 
thus  vividly  portrayed  in  combination  with  his  fear  that  the 
fate  which  has  overtaken  Engidu  may  also  be  in  store  for  him. 

So  far  we  have  again  the  symbolism  involved  in  a  myth 
portraying  the  change  from  the  summer  to  the  wintry  season. 
Summer  is  life,  winter  is  death.  The  power  of  the  sun 
wanes  after  the  summer  has  gone,  and  Gilgamesh,  as  the  per- 
sonification of  the  sun,  dreads  the  approaching  winter,  which 
means  the  loss  of  the  sun's  power.  To  this  myth  there  is  now 
added  a  series  of  episodes  with  which  Gilgamesh  originally 
had  nothing  to  do.  The  chief  of  these  episodes  is  the  story  of 
a  destructive  deluge  sent  by  the  gods,  which  destroys  all  man- 
kind except  a  favorite,  Ut-napishtim.  He,  with  his  family, 
is  saved  through  the  aid  of  the  god  Ea,  in  a  special  sense,  the 
god  of  humanity,  the  friend  and  lover  of  mankind.  In  order 
to  bring  Gilgamesh  into  connection  with  this  episode,  he  is 


200  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

represented  as  longing  for  a  meeting  with  the  hero  of  the 
deluge  who,  after  the  storm  had  passed  and  the  gods  are 
reconciled  to  his  escape,  is  given  a  special  dwelling  "  in  a  dis- 
tant land  at  the  confluence  of  the  streams."  There  Ut- 
napishtim  enjoys  the  immortality  that  marks  the  life  of  the 
gods.  Gilgamesh  hopes  to  secure  from  Ut-napishtim  the 
secret  of  eternal  life,  so  that  he  may  escape  the  fate  of  Engidu. 
Gilgamesh,  accordingly,  enters  upon  a  long  series  of  wander- 
ings, encountering  many  dangers  and  obstacles  on  the  way, 
until  at  last  he  is  brought  face  to  face  with  Ut-napishtim. 
The  course  of  the  wanderings  and  the  dangers  and  difficulties 
besetting  the  hero  are  all  full  of  the  symbolism  that  reflects 
an  age  which  has  advanced  to  the  point  of  mingling  with 
myths  and  popular  tales  speculations  of  a  comparatively  ad- 
vanced character  as  to  the  meaning  of  life  and  death.  The 
story  of  Gilgamesh,  while  thus  of  popular  origin,  becomes  a 
distinct  literary  production  in  which  thoughts  and  motifs 
originating  in  the  temple  schools  of  Babylonia  are  introduced 
and  interwoven  with  myths  and  faint  historical  traditions  of 
conflicts  and  disasters  in  bygone  days. 

After  long  wanderings,  in  the  course  of  which  it  would 
appear  that,  among  other  adventures,  Gilgamesh  encounters 
lions,  which  he  dispatches :  ^ 

"  Lions  I  saw,  and  was  afraid, 

I  raised  my  head,  praying  to  the  god  Sin, 

To  Ishtar,  the  mighty  one,  among  the  gods,  I  directed  my 

prayers. 
*  Save  me,  even  now.'  " 

A  few  lines  further  on  we  read : 

He  raised  the  ax  at  his  side, 

He  drew  out  the  sword  hanging  at  his  girdle. 


It  fell  among  them ;  he  struck  ...  he  killed,  be  split. 

s  Frequently  portrayed  on  seal  cylinders.  See  Ward,  "  Seal  Cylin- 
ders of  Western  Asia,"  Chap.  TX.  Unfortunately,  the  portion  of  the 
ninth  tablet  in  which  this  description  of  the  contest  with  the  lions 
occurs  is  exceedingly  fragmentary. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  201 

He  reaches  a  mountain,  known  as  Mashu,  and  which 
appears  to  be  situated  in  the  distant  West.  The  gates  of  the 
mountain  are  guarded  by  scorpion-men  with  terrible  aspect, 
who  are  thus  described : 

When  he  reached  the  mountain  Mashu,   where  watchmen 

daily  guard  the  sun's  exit  and  entrance, 
With  the  vault  of  heaven  above  them, 
Their  breasts  reaching  to  the  nether  world, 
Where  the  scorpion-men  guard  the  gate, 
Whose  terror  is  overwhelming. 
The  sight  of  whom  is  death. 

Whose  terrific,  awe-inspiring  look  overthrows  mountains. 
Who  watch  the  sun  at  its  exit  and  entrance. 
Gilgamesh  saw  them;  his  countenance  fell  through  fear  and 

horror. 
Gathering  his  courage  he  prostrated  himself  before  them. 
A  scorpion-man  called  to  his  wife, 
"  He  who  has  come  to  us,  his  body  shows  the  skin  of  the 

gods." 

The  wife  answers : 

"  Two-thirds  of  him  is  god,  one-third  is  man." 

Gilgamesh  tells  the  scorpion-men  of  his  mission  which 
leads  him  through  the  mountain  guarded  by  the  scorpions. 
Apparently  Gilgamesh  has  reached  the  end  of  the  world,  for 
the  mountain  is  described  as  lying  at  a  point  where  the  hori- 
zon touches  the  lower  world.  The  Sumerians  and  Akkadians 
pictured  the  heaven  as  a  vaulted  arch  extending  over  the 
watery  deep.  The  earth  floats,  as  it  were,  on  the  deep,  and 
far  down  in  the  deep  is  Irkallu,  or  Aralu,  where  the  dead  are 
huddled  together  in  a  great  cave.  At  each  end  of  the  vault 
there  is  a  gate.  Through  the  eastern  gate  the  sun  comes  out 
in  the  morning,  proceeds  along  the  vault  of  heaven,  and 
enters  at  evening  into  the  other  gate.  The  scorpion-man 
warns  Gilgamesh  of  the  dangers,  aye,  of  the  impossibility  for 
a  mortal  to  pass  through  the  mountain  Mashu. 

JN^o  man  (he  says)  has  ever  found  a  way. 


202  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

But  since  Gilgamesh  insists  upon  his  undertaking,  the  scor- 
pion-man permits  him  to  enter,  and  he  wanders  through  the 
mountain  for  twelve  double  hours  in  the  darkness  with  no 
spark  of  light  either  before  or  behind  him.  At  last  he 
reaches  a  garden  of  the  gods,  whose  trees  are  hung  with 
precious  stones  in  place  of  fruits.  Passing  through  the  gar- 
den he  comes  to  a  sea,  on  the  bank  of  which  the  goddess 
Sabitu  sits  enthroned.  The  goddess  shrinks  at  the  sight  of 
the  hero,  who  bears  the  marks  of  his  long  and  perilous  jour- 
ney. She  takes  Gilgamesh  for  a  demon  and  locks  the  gate, 
forming  a  barrier  to  the  sea.  Gilgamesh,  in  rage,  demands 
entrance,  threatening  — 

"  I  will  smash  the  door, 
I  will  break  the  lock." 

Sabitu  admits  him,  and  asks  for  the  reason  of  his  wild  and 
strange  appearance. 

Sabitu  says  to  Gilgamesh: 

"  Why  are  thy  cheeks  warm,  thy  stature  bent, 

Thy  heart  depressed,  thy  figure  distorted ; 

Why  is  there  woe  in  thy  heart  ? 

Like  a  wanderer  across  distant  paths  is  thy  appearance. 

Thy  face  is  scorched  through  .  .  .  horror  and  .  .  . 

Why  do  you  thus  rush  across  the  roads  ?  " 

Gilgamesh,  in  reply,  tells  the  story  of  the  death  of  Engidu, 
how  he  mourned  for  him  and  how,  in  fear  of  encountering 
the  same  fate,  he  is  now  in  search  of  a  way  to  the  dwelling  of 
Ut-napishtim  in  order  to  learn  the  secret  of  life.  Gilgamesh 
says  to  Sabitu: 

"  Why  should  my  cheeks  not  be  warm,  my  stature  bent  ? 

AVhy  should  my  heart  not  be  disturbed,  my  appearance  dis- 
torted ? 

Why  should  I  not  seem  like  a  wanderer  from  distant  paths  ? 

Why  should  my  countenance  not  be  scorched  with  .  .  .  hor- 
ror; 

Why  should  I  not  be  wandering  across  the  roads  ? 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  203 

My  young  friend,  the  panther  of  the  field, 

Engidu,  my  young  friend,  the  panther  of  the  field. 

Who  could  accomplish  everything,  so  that  we  ascended  the 

mountain, 
Seized  the  heavenly  bull  and  killed  him, 
Threw  down  Khumbaba,  who  dwelt  in  the  cedar  forest, 
Killing  lions  in  the  depths  of  the  mountains, 
My  friend  who  wandered  with  me  through  all  perils, 
Engidu,  my  friend,  who  with  me  slew  lions, 
Who  with  me  wandered  through  all  perils. 
The  fate  of  mankind  overtook  him. 
For  six  days  and  nights  I  wept  over  him, 
Till  ...  I  did  not  bury  him  ; 
I  was  afraid  .  .  . ;  I  feared  death. 
And  therefore,  I  wandered  across  the  roads. 
The  fate  of  Engidu,  my  companion,  bears  heavily  upon  me. 
Therefore,  I  undertook  the  long  wandering  across  the  roads. 


My  companion  whom  I  love  has  passed  into  the  earth, 
Engidu,  my  companion  whom  I  love,  has  passed  into  the 

earth. 
Will  I,  too,  have  to  lie  down  as  he. 
Never  to  rise  again  in  all  eternity  ?  " 

Gilgamesh  now  asks  Sabitu  to  direct  him  on  the  way  to 
Ut-napishtim. 

"  Now,  Sabitu,  which  is  the  way  to  Ut-napishtim  ? 

What  are  its  marks ;  give  them  to  me. 

Tell  me  its  marks. 

If  possible,  I  will  pass  across  the  sea ; 

If  not,  I  will  wander  across  the  roads," 

He  is  determined  to  find  his  way  to  Ut-napishtim,  whether 
by  water  or  on  land.  Sabitu  holds  out  no  hope  of  his  carry- 
ing out  his  purpose. 

Sabitu  said  to  Gilgamesh, 
"  There  is  no  ferry,  Gilgamesh, 


204  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

And  no  one  since  the  beginning  of  time  has  ever  crossed  the 

sea. 
Shamasb,  the  hero,  indeed, 
Has  crossed  the  sea ; 
But  except  Shamash,  who  can  cross  it  ?  " 

The  sea  is  the  watery  deep,  through  which  at  night  the  sun 
passes  in  its  course  from  the  western  gate  back  to  the  eastern 
gate  leading  to  the  vault  of  heaven.  The  waters,  therefore, 
through  which  Gilgamesh  wishes  to  pass  are  the  waters  of 
death,  leading  to  the  abode  of  the  dead,  but  also  to  the  dwell- 
ing of  Ut-napishtim.  Sabitu  continues  her  speech  to  Gilga- 
mesh, emphasizing  the  human  impossibility  of  passing 
through  "  the  waters  of  death,"  but  at  the  close  holds  out  one 
chance.  If  the  boatman,  Ur-Shanabi,  is  willing  to  take  him 
across,  it  might  be  possible  for  Gilgamesh  to  reach  the  dwell- 
ing-place of  Ut-napishtim. 

"  Difficult  of  approach  is  the  place  of  crossing, 
Difficult  the  way  thither. 

And  deep  are  the  waters  of  death  that  hinder  one. 
How  is  it  possible  for  you.  Oh  Gilgamesh,  to  cross  the  water  ? 
Even  if  you  reach  the  waters  of  death,  what  will  you  then  do  ? 
Gilgamesh,  you  will  find  there,  Ur-Shanabi,  the  boatman  of 
Ut-napishtim. 


If  it  is  possible,  cross  with  him, 
If  it  is  not  possible,  come  back." 


The  text  at  this  point  is  fragmentary,  and  we  are  left 
largely  to  conjecture  in  determining  exactly  what  happened 
before  Gilgamesh  reached  his  goal.  The  symbolism  on  the 
whole,  however,  is  clear.  The  water  to  be  crossed  is  signifi- 
cantly called  the  "  sea  of  death."  To  merely  touch  it  would 
mean  the  instantaneous  extinction  of  life.  The  only  one  who 
can  see  him  safely  through  the  dangerous  and  stiif  currents 
is  Ur-Shanabi,  the  boatman  of  Ut-napishtim.  Gilgamesh 
reaches  the  place  of  the  ferry  across  the  dangerous  waters  and 
appeals  to  Ur-Shanabi.     Following  the  usual  method  of  the 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  205 

epic,  Ur-Shanabi  asks  the  same  question  of  Gilgamesh  as  does 
the  maiden  Sabitu : 

"  Whj  are  thy  cheeks  fallen ; 
Why  is  thy  appearance  so  distorted  ? "  etc. 

Gilgamesh  returns  the  same  answer  and  implores  the  boat- 
man to  take  him  across  or  to  indicate  how  he  can  get  across. 
It  would  appear  —  though  the  text  is  not  at  all  clear  —  that 
even  the  boat  of  TJr-Shanabi  could  not  go  close  to  the  shore 
where  Ut-napishtim  and  his  wife  are  living,  "  at  the  con- 
fluence of  the  streams."  A  bridge  must  be  constructed  at 
some  distance  from  the  shore,  connecting  the  boat  with  the 
dry  land. 

Ur-Shanabi  consents  to  take  Gilgamesh  as  far  as  the  boat 
can  go,  and  calls  upon  him  to  take  along  120  poles  each  60 
cubits  long,  with  which  to  construct  the  hanging  bridge  over 
the  waters  of  death.  But  alas !  the  bridge  is  not  long  enough, 
and  with  true  dramatic  effect  the  compilers  of  the  story  keep 
us  in  suspense.  The  mission  of  Gilgamesh  is  about  to  fail 
just  at  the  moment  when  it  seems  nearest  of  success.  But 
Gilgamesh  bethinks  himself  and,  in  a  supreme  effort,  pulls 
out  the  high  mast  of  the  boat  and,  attaching  that  to  the  poles, 
succeeds  in  completing  the  bridge. 

He  loosens  his  girdle, 
Gilgamesh  drew  off  his  clothes ; 
With  his  hands  he  attached  the  mast. 

Ut-napishtim,  from  the  shore,  is  amazed  to  see  some  one 
approach  him.     He  cries : 

"  Why  have  the  ...  of  the  ship  been  broken,  and  some  one 

comes  who  does  not  belong  to  us  ? 
He  who  is  coming  does  not  appear  to  be  a  man." 

On  Gilgamesh's  landing,  Ut-napishtim  puts  the  same  ques- 
tions that  were  placed  in  the  mouth  of  Sabitu  and  of  the  boat- 
man, and  Gilgamesh  returns  the  same  answer. 

Ut-napishtim,  upon  hearing  of  Gilgamesh's  quest  to  avoid 


206  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

death,  tells  him  sadlj  that  he  will  not  attain  his  aim.  Every- 
thing on  earth  has  its  fixed  time.  Things  go  on  forever,  but 
men  and  women  pass  away.  All  the  living  are  doomed  to  die. 
The  fate  of  all  mankind  is  decided  by  the  gods. 

"  They  determine  death  and  life." 

Life  is  transitory;  death  is  eternal.  This  thought  runs 
throughout  the  second  part  of  the  epic ;  from  the  seventh  tab- 
let to  the  end  of  the  twelfth.  The  melancholy  note  is  struck 
in  various  tones.  So  in  the  older  Babylonian  version,  pre- 
viously referred  to  as  dating  back  to  2000  b.c,  it  is  the  Sun- 
god  Shamash  and  the  maiden  Sabitu  who  impress  the  lesson 
upon  Gilgamesh.  Both  tell  him  to  desist  from  his  quest  for 
life. 

"  0  Gish,^  whither  art  thou  rushing  ? 

The  life  that  thou  seekest, 

Thou  wilt  not  find." 

The  hero  tells  his  story  of  his  companion  Engidu,  how  after 
all  their  labors  together  Engidu  was  carried  away  by  death, 
and  how  since  then  Gilgamesh  has  become  a  wanderer  in  fear 
of  death.     He  implores  Sabitu: 

"  The  death  that  I  fear, 
May  I  not  see." 

But  Sabitu,  as  in  the  former  portion  of  the  fragment,  Sha- 
mesh,  answers  Gilgamesh  as  follows : 

"  Gilgamesh,  whither  art  thou  rushing  ? 
The  life  that  thou  seekest  thou  wilt  not  find. 
When  the  gods  created  mankind. 
They  fixed  death  for  mankind. 
Life  they  retained  in  their  own  hands. 
Thou,  O  Gilgamesh,  let  thy  belly  be  filled. 
Day  and  night  be  merry,  daily  arrange  a  merry-making. 
Day  and  night  be  joyous  and  contented. 
Let  thy  garments  be  pure,  thy  head  be  washed. 
6  The  name  given  to  the  hero  in  this  fragment. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  207 

Wash  thyself  with  water. 

Regard  the  little  one  who  takes  hold  of  thy  hand, 

Enjoy  the  wife  lying  in  thy  bosom !  " 

It  is  somewhat  startling  to  find  the  advice,  "  eat,  drink,  and 
be  merry,"  thus  put  forth  as  the  lesson  to  be  drawn  from  the 
transitoriness  of  life.  This  fragment  of  the  Gilgamesh  Epic 
appears  to  represent  an  independent  recension  of  the  tale,  and 
it  may  be  that  the  moral  does  not  reflect  the  current  view. 
What  is  more  important,  however,  is  to  find  the  fragment  in 
agreement  with  the  main  version  of  the  epic  in  emphasizing 
the  sad  fate  in  store  for  all  the  living. 

ELEVENTH  TABLET 

Gilgamesh,  after  hearing  the  despairing  message  of  Ut- 
napishtim,  nevertheless  is  bold  enough  to  put  the  question  to 
the  latter  how  it  happened  that  Ut-napishtim,  although  a 
mortal,  should  have  escaped  the  common  fate.  In  reply,  Ut- 
napishtim  tells  the  famous  story  of  the  Babylonian  deluge, 
how  at  one  time  the  gods  decided  to  bring  on  a  destructive 
storm  in  which  all  mankind  perished,  with  the  exception  of 
Ut-napishtim  and  his  wife  and  belongings  —  saved  through 
the  intervention  of  the  god  Ea. 

Th'e  eleventh  tablet  begins  as  follows :  "^ 

Gilgamesh  speaks  to  him,  to  Ut-napishtim,  the  far-removed: 
"  I  gaze  at  thee,  Ut-napishtim ! 

Thy  appearance  is  not  different.     As  I  am,  so  art  thou. 
And  thou  art  not  different.     As  I  am,  so  art  thou. 
Thou  art  completely  ready  for  the  fray. 
.  .  .  thou  hast  placed  upon  thee. 

Tell  me  how  thou  didst  enter  into  the  assembly  of  the  gods 
and  secure  life." 

In  reply  Ut-napishtim  tells  the  following  story : 

7  The  translation  of  tins  tablet  is  reprinted,  by  permission  of  the 
J.  B.  Lippincott  Co.,  from  Prof.  Jastrow's  "  Civilization  of  Babylonia 
and  Assyria." 


208  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

"  I  will  reveal  to  thee,  Gilgamesh,  a  secret  story, 

And  the  decision  of  the  gods  I  will  tell  thee. 

The  city  of  Shuruppak,^  a  city  which  thou  knowest, 

The  one  that  lies  on  the  Euphrates, 

That  city  was  old,  and  the  gods  thereof 

Induced  the  great  gods  to  bring  a  cyclone  over  it ; 

It  was  planned  by  their  father  Anu, 

By  their  counselor,  the  warrior  Enlil, 

By  their  herald  Ninib, 

By  their  leader  En-nugi. 

The  lord  of  brilliant  vision,  Ea,  was  with  them. 

He  repeated  their  decision  to  the  reed-hut.^ 

'  Eeed-hut,  reed-hut,  wall,  wall, 

Keed-hut,  hear !     Wall,  give  ear ! 

O  man  of  Shuruppak,  son  of  Ubara-tutu, 

Break  up  the  house,  build  a  ship. 

Abandon  your  property,  seek  life! 

Throw  aside  your  possession  and  preserve  life ! 

Bring  into  the  ship  seed  of  all  living  things ! 

The  ship  that  thou  shalt  build, 

Let  its  dimensions  be  measured,  so  that 

Its  breadth  and  length  be  made  to  correspond. 

On  a  level  with  the  deep,  provide  it  with  a  covering."  ^® 

In  another  version  the  name  of  the  hero  of  the  deluge  is 
given  as  Atrakhasis,  signifying  "  the  very  clever  one."  This 
alternate  name  is  introduced  also  at  the  end  of  our  version  of 
the  tale,  where  Ea  says  that  he  sent  Atrakhasis  a  dream 
which  the  latter  correctly  understood.  Evidently  two  tradi- 
tions of  the  manner  in  which  the  hero  of  the  deluge  was 
warned  of  the  coming  destruction  were  current.  Both  were 
embodied  in  our  tale,  which  thus  is  revealed  as  itself  a 
composite  production.  Ut-napishtim  continues  his  narra- 
tive: 

8  Now  identified  as  the  site  of  the  mound  Fara.  The  name  also  ap- 
pears as  "  Shurippak,"  but  the  spelling  with  u  is  more  correct. 

8  In  which  Ut-napishtim  dwells.  The  reed-hut  points  to  the  primi- 
tive conditions  in  which  man  lived  when  the  deluge  came  on. 

10  The  first  part  of  this  line  is  obscure.  I  believe  that  the  covering 
here  meant  is  tlie  deck  of  the  framework. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  209 

"  I  understood  ^^  and  spoke  to  Ea,  my  lord : 

'  The  command  of  my  lord  which  thou  hast  commanded^ 

As  I  have  understood  it,  I  will  carry  out. 

But  what  shall  I  answer  the  city,  the  people,  and  the  elders  ? ' 

Ea  opened  his  mouth  and  spoke : 

Spoke  to  me,, his  servant. 

*  As  answer  thus  speak  to  them : 

Know  that  Enlil  has  conceived  hatred  toward  me, 

So  that  I  can  no  longer  dwell  in  your  city. 

On  Enlil's  territory  I  dare  no  longer  set  my  face. 

Therefore,  I  go  to  the  "  deep  "  to  dwell  with  Ea,  my  lord. 

Over  you  he  will  cause  blessing  to  rain  down. 

Catch  of  bird,  catch  of  fish,' 

And  .  .  .  rich  crops." 

At  this  point  the  tablet  is  defective.  Ut-napishtim  must 
have  told  Gilgamesh  how  he  completed  the  ship,  first  draw- 
ing a  plan  and  building  according  to  it.  Thereupon  the  text 
proceeds : 

"  On  the  fifth  day,  I  designed  its  outline. 
According  to  the  plan,  the  walls  were  to  be  ten  gar  high.^* 
Corresponding,  ten  gar  the  measure  of  its  width. 
I  determined  upon  its  shape  and  drew  it. 
I  weighted  it  sixfold. 

I  divided  the  superstructure  ^^  into  seven  parts. 
Its  interior  I  divided  into  nine  parts. 
Water-plugs  I  constructed  in  the  interior. 
I  selected  a  pole  and  added  accessories. 
Six  ^*  sar  of  asphalt  I  poured  on  the  outer  wall. 
Three  sar  of  pitch  I  poured  on  the  inner  wall. 
Three  sar  the  workmen  carried  away  in  their  baskets. -^^     Of 
oil, 

11  Referring,  evidently,  to  the  mysterious  dream,  and  not  to  the  ex- 
plicit command,  which  is  so  clear  that  it  could  not  be  misunderstood. 

12  A  gar  is  12  cubits. 

13  A  somewhat  obscure  line  to  indicate,  perhaps,  the  strong  substruc- 
ture so  as  to  be  capable  of  holding  seven  stories. 

1*  A  variant  text  has  "  three." 
16  I.e.,  "  graft "  taken  by  the  workmen. 
VOL.  I.— 14. 


210  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Besides  one  sar  of  oil  which  was  used  for  the  sacrifices, 
The  boatman  secreted  two  sar  of  oil."  ^° 

Ut-napishtim  then  proceeds : 

"  All  that  I  had  I  loaded  on  her. 
All  that  I  had  of  silver  I  loaded  on  her. 
All  that  I  had  of  gold  I  loaded  on  her. 
All  that  I  had  of  living  beings  of  all  kinds  I  loaded  on  her. 
I  brought  to  the  ship  all  my  family  and  household ; 
Cattle  of  the  field,  beasts  of  the  field,  all  the  workmen  I 
brought  on  board." 

The  ship  draws  water  to  two-thirds  of  its  bulk. 
The  description  of  the  storm  which  nov/  follows  is  one  of 
the  finest  passages  in  the  narrative: 

"  Shamash  had  fixed  the  time, 

*  When  the  rulers  of  darkness  at  evening-time  shall  cause  a 

terrific  rain-storm. 
Step  into  the  ship  and  close  the  door ! ' 
The  fixed  time  approached. 
When  the  rulers  of  darkness  at  evening-time  were  to  cause  a 

terrific  rain-storm. 
I  recognized  the  symptoms  of  such  a  day, 
A  day,  for  the  appearance  of  which  I  was  in  terror. 
I  entered  the  ship  and  closed  the  door. 
To  steer  the  ship,  to  Puzur-Kurgal,  the  boatman, 
I  entrusted  the  palace,^'  together  with  its  cargo. 
As  morning  dawned. 

There  arose  on  the  firmament  of  heaven  black  clouds, 
Adad  thundered  therein ; 
Xabu  and  Lugal  marched  in  advance, 
Ira  ^^  tears  out  the  ship's  pole. 
Xinib  marches,  commanding  the  attack, 
The  Anunnaki  ^^  lift  torches, 

16  More  "  graft." 

17  Note  this  designation  given  to  the  structure  —  an  indication  of  its 
large  size,  with  its  many  stories  and  compartments. 

1^  God  of  pestilence. 

19  A  collective  name  for  the  minor  gods. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  211 

Illuminating  the  land  with  their  sheen, 
Adad's  roar  reaches  to  heaven, 
All  light  is  changed  to  darkness. 


One  day  the  hurricane  raged  .  .  . 

Storming  furiously  .  .  . 

Coming  like  a  combat  over  men. 

Brother  sees  not  brother: 

Those  in  heaven  ^^  do  not  know  one  another. 

The  gods  are  terrified  at  the  cyclone, 

They  flee  and  mount  to  the  heaven  of  Anu ;  ^^ 

The  gods  crouch  like  dogs  in  an  enclosure. 

Ishtar  cries  aloud  like  one  in  birth-throes, 

The  mistress  of  the  gods  howls  aloud : 

*  That  day  be  turned  to  clay,^^ 

When  I  in  the  assembly  of  the  gods  decreed  evil ; 

That  I  should  have  decreed  evil  in  the  assembly  of  the  gods ! 

For  the  destruction  of  my  people  should  have  ordered  a  com- 
bat! 

Did  I  bring  forth  my  people, 

That  like  fish  they  should  fill  the  sea  ?  * 

All  of  the  Anunnaki  weep  with  her. 

The  gods  sit  dovm,  depressed  and  weeping. 

Their  lips  are  closed  .  .  . 

Six  days  and  nights 

The  storm,  cyclone,  and  hurricane  continued  to  sweep  over 
the  land. 

When  the  seventh  day  approached,  the  hurricane  and  cyclone 
ceased  the  combat, 

After  having  fought  like  warriors. 

The  sea  grew  quiet,  the  evil  storm  abated,  the  cyclone  was 
restrained. 

I  looked  at  the  day  and  the  roar  had  quieted  down. 

And  all  mankind  had  turned  to  clay. 

Like  an  enclosure  .  .  .  had  become. 

I  opened  a  window  and  light  fell  on  my  face, 

20  I.e.,  the  gods  in  general.  22  I.e.,  be  cursed  with  destruction. 

21  The  highest  part  of  heaven. 


212  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

I  bowed  down  and  sat  down  and  wept, 

Tears  flowed  over  my  face. 

I  looked  in  all  directions  of  the  sea. 

At  a  distance  of  twelve  miles  ^^  an  island  appeared. 

At  mount  Nisir  the  ship  stood  still. 

Mount  Nisir  took  hold  of  the  ship  so  that  it  could  not  move. 

One  day,  two  days,  Mount  Nisir,  etc.^* 

Three  days,  four  days.  Mount  Nisir,  etc. 

Five  days,  six  days.  Mount  Nisir,  etc. 

When  the  seventh  day  arrived, 

I  sent  forth  a  dove,  letting  it  free. 

The  dove  went  hither  and  thither ; 

Not  finding  a  resting-place,  it  came  back. 

I  sent  forth  a  swallow,  letting  it  free. 

The  swallow  went  hither  and  thither. 

Not  finding  a  resting-place,  it  came  back. 

I  sent  forth  a  raven,  letting  it  free. 

The  raven  went  and  saw  the  decrease  of  the  waters. 

It  ate,  croaked,  but  did  not  turn  back. 

Then  I  let  all  out  to  the  four  regions  and  brought  an  offering. 

I  brought  a  sacrifice  on  the  mountain  top. 

Seven  and  seven  adagur  jars  I  arranged. 

Beneath  them  I  strewed  reeds,  cedar-wood  and  myrtle. 

The  gods  smelled  the  odor, 

The  gods  smelled  the  sweet  odor. 

The  gods,  like  flies,  gathered  around  the  sacrificer." 

The  gods  now  realize  what  havoc  had  been  wrought  by  their 
decision  and  begin  to  regret  it.  Ishtar,  more  particularly  as 
the  mother  goddess,  bitterly  laments  the  destruction  of  man- 
kind. 

"  As  soon  as  the  mistress  of  the  gods  ^^  arrived. 
She  raised  on  high  the  large  necklace  which  Anu  had  made 
according  to  his  art. 

28  Or,  "  after  a  space  of  twelve  double  hours." 

24  Sign  of  reduplication,  i.e.,  "  Mount  Nisir  took  hold  of  the  ship  so 
that  it  could  not  move."  tJiair  means  "  salvation " —  a  symbolical 
name  therefor. 

25 Ishtar. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  213 

^  Ye  gods,  as  surely  as  I  will  not  forget  these  precious  stones 

at  my  neck, 
So  I  will  remember  these  days  —  never  to  forget  them. 
Let  the  gods  come  to  the  sacrifice, 
But  let  Enlil  not  come  to  the  sacrifice. 
Because  without  reflection  he  brought  on  the  cyclone, 
And  decreed  destruction  for  my  people.' 
As  soon  as  Enlil  arrived. 
He  saw  the  ship,  and  Enlil  was  enraged. 
Filled  with  anger  at  the  Igigi.^^ 
^  Who  now  has  escaped  with  his  life  ? 
No  man  was  to  survive  the  destruction ! ' 
Ninib  opened  his  mouth  and  spoke, 
Spoke  to  the  warrior  Enlil, 
'  Who  except  Ea  can  plan  any  affair  ? 
Ea  indeed  knows  every  order.' 
Ea  opened  his  mouth  and  spoke, 
Spoke  to  the  warrior  Enlil: 
'  Thou  art  the  leader  and  warrior  of  the  gods. 
But  why  didst  thou,  without  reflection,  bring  on  the  cyclone  ? 
On  the  sinner  impose  his  sin. 
On  the  evil-doer  impose  his  evil. 
But  be  merciful  not  to  root  out  completely;  be  considerate 

not  to  destroy  altogether! 
Instead  of  bringing  on  a  cyclone. 
Lions  might  have  come  and  diminished  mankind. 
Instead  of  bringing  on  a  cyclone. 
Jackals  might  have  come  and  diminished  mankind. 
Instead  of  bringing  on  a  cyclone. 
Famine  might  have  come  and  overwhelmed  the  land. 
Instead  of  bringing  on  a  cyclone, 
Ira  ^^  might  have  come  and  destroyed  the  land. 
I  did  not  reveal  the  oracle  of  the  great  gods, 
I  sent  Atrakhasis  a  dream  and  he  understood  the  oracle  of 

the  gods. 
Now  take  counsel  for  him.'  " 

26  Here  a  collective  name  for  the  gods,  though  generally  designating, 
like  Anunnaki,  a  lower  group  of  divine  beings. 

27  God  of  pestilence. 


214  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Enlil  is  moved  by  this  eloquent  appeal  and  is  reconciled. 
He  himself  accords  immortal  life  to  Ut-napishtim  and  his 
vnie,  and  with  this  act  the  story  ends. 

"  Enlil  mounted  the  ship, 

Took  hold  of  my  hand  and  took  me  aboard, 

Took  me  and  caused  my  wife  to  kneel  at  my  side, 

Touched  our  foreheads,  stepped  between  us  and  blessed  us. 

'  Hitherto  Ut-napishtim  was  a  man ; 

Now  Ut-napishtim  and  his  wife  shall  be  on  a  level  with  the 

gods. 
Ut-napishtim  shall  dwell  in  the  distance,  at  the  confluence 

of  the  streams.' 
Then  they  took  me  and  placed  me  at  the  confluence  of  the 

streams." 

It  is  evident  that  the  entire  deluge  episode  has  no  con- 
nection whatsoever  with  Gilgamesh.  It  is  introduced  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  trait  of  epics  everywhere  to  embellish  the 
stories  of  the  adventures  of  the  popular  hero  and  to  bring 
him  into  association  with  as  many  of  the  popular  tales  and 
myths  as  possible.  At  the  close  of  Ut-napishtim's  long  re- 
cital the  thread  of  the  story  is  again  taken  up.  Ut-napish- 
tim, moved  by  pity  for  Gilgamesh,  feels  inclined  to  make  an 
effort  to  secure  immortality  for  Gilgamesh,  and  this  despite 
the  entirely  hopeless  outlook  conveyed  by  Ut-napishtim's 
first  address.  He  tells  Gilgamesh  that  if  he  can  ward  off 
sleep  for  six  days  and  seven  nights  the  secret  of  immortal 
life  will  be  revealed  to  him.  Gilgamesh,  however,  is  unable 
to  endure  the  ordeal,  and  falls  asleep.  Ut-napishtim  says 
to  his  wife: 

"  Behold  the  strong  one  who  longed  for  life ; 
Sleep  has  blown  upon  him  like  a  hurricane." 

His  wife  says  to  Ut-napishtim,  the  one  dwelling  in  the  dis- 
tance : 

"  Touch  him,  that  the  man  may  awake ; 

May  he  return  safely  on  the  way  on  which  he  came ; 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  215 

May  be  return  back  to  bis  land  tbroiigb  tbe  gate  wbence  be 
went  out." 

Ut-napisbtim,  moved  by  tbe  appeal  of  bis  wife,  consents  to 
awalcen  tbe  sleeper.  He  calls  upon  ber  to  bake  seven  loaves 
of  bread  and  to  place  tbem  at  tbe  bead  of  Gilgamesb.  Ac- 
companying tbe  action  witb  formulfe  tbat  appear  to  be  in- 
cantations, Ut-napisbtim  succeeds  in  awakening  Gilgamesb. 
Apparently  tbese  loaves  of  bread  bave  tbe  magic  power  of 
keeping  one  awake,  but  unfortunately  Gilgamesb  fell  asleep 
before  tbey  were  ready.  As  a  consequence,  tbougb  awak- 
ened, be  bas  forfeited  tbe  possibility  of  immortal  life.  Ut- 
napisbtim  now  calls  upon  Ur-Sbanabi  to  take  tbe  stranger 
away  and  carry  bim  back  across  tbe  waters  of  deatb.  Once 
more  we  may  note  tbe  dramatic  effect.  Just  wben  we  are 
led  to  believe  tbat  Gilgamesb  bas  failed  utterly  of  bis  pur- 
pose, Ut-napisbtim  tells  Ur-Sbanabi  to  bring  Gilgamesb  to 
a  spot  wbere  be  may  batbe,  and  remove  tbe  grime  and  dirt 
from  bis  body,  tbrow  off  tbe  dirty  skins  in  wbicb  be  is  clad, 
and  put  on  fresb  clotbes. 

"  Take  bim,  Ur-Sbanabi,  and  bring  bim  to  a  batbing-place, 

Tbat  be  may  wasb  bis  dirty  clotbes  in  pure  water. 

Tbrow  off  bis  skins,  to  be  carried  away  by  tbe  sea; 

Tbat  bis  body  may  be  beautiful  once  more, 

Tbat  tbe  turban  on  bis  bead  may  be  renewed. 

Witb  a  fine  robe  let  bim  be  clotbed, 

Witb  a  covering  iV)r  bis  body. 

Till  be  comes  to  bis  city,  till  be  reacbes  tbe  road, 

Let  tbe  fine  garment  not  become  old. 

But  ever  be  renewed." 

Anotber  surprise  is  in  store  for  us.  Gilgamesb  and  Ur- 
Sbanabi  are  about  to  leave.  Indeed,  tbe  boat  bas  already 
been  sboved  off  wben  Ut-napisbtim,  at  tbe  solicitation  of  bis 
wife,  reveals  to  Gilgamesb  tbe  existence  of  a  plant  wbicb 
bas  tbe  power  to  restore  old  age  to  youtb.  Gilgamesb  and 
Ur-Sbanabi  mount  tbe  sbip.  Tbey  moor  tbe  boat  and  are 
about  to  ride  off.     Ut-napishtim's  wife  says: 


216  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

"  Ut-napishtim,  the  one  dwelling  in  the  distance, 
Gilgamesh  is  going;  has  toiled  and  worried. 
What  will  you  give  him,  that  he  may  return  to  his  land  ? " 
He  took  hold  of  Gilgamesh's  oar  and  pulled  the  ship  back 
to  the  shore. 
Ut-napishtim  says  to  Gilgamesh: 
"  Gilgamesh,  thou  art  going  away. 
Thou  hast  labored  and  worried, 

What  should  I  give  thee  that  thou  mayest  return  to  thy  land  ? 
I  will  reveal  to  thee,  Gilgamesh,  a  secret  message." 

Ut-napishtim  tells  him  of  the  plant  which  grows  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  sea,  the  name  of  which  is  "  Restorer  of  old  age 
to  youth."  Gilgamesh,  like  a  diver,  ties  heavy  stones  around 
his  body  and  lets  himself  do^vn  into  the  deep.  There  he 
plucks  the  plant,  cuts  the  heavy  stones  away,  and  rises  to 
the  top,  full  of  joy  at  having  at  last  obtained  the  purpose 
of  his  quest. 

He  proposes  to  take  the  plant  back  with  him  to  TJruk, 
there  to  eat  of  it  himself  and  to  give  of  it  to  others ;  but  on 
the  way,  after  leaving  the  ship  and  proceeding  on  land  again, 
Gilgamesh  bathes  in  a  well  of  cold  water.  A  serpent  ap- 
proaches, attracted  by  the  perfume  of  the  plant,  and  snatches 
it  away.  The  hero  breaks  out  in  bitter  lament,  but  all  re- 
gret is  useless.  Gilgamesh  returns  to  Uruk,  after  all  his 
wanderings,  with  his  object  unfulfilled  and  realizing  that 
the  fate  of  Engidu  is  in  store  for  him.  It  is  quite  likely,  as 
has  been  assumed  by  several  scholars,  that  the  story  ended 
with  Gilgamesh's  return  to  his  palace  at  Uruk,  and  that 
nothing  remained  but  to  record  his  death. 

TWELFTH  TABLET 

Another  tablet  is  added  to  the  adventures,  which  is  con- 
cerned solely  with  the  predominating  thought  of  the  second 
half  of  the  epic,  the  sad  prospect  of  death.  Gilgamesh 
knows  that  it  is  no  longer  possible  for  him  to  escape  the  fate 
of  all  mankind,  but  he  is  anxious,  at  least,  to  know  some- 
thing of  the   condition   of  those   who   have   passed   away. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  217 

Where  are  they  ?  Are  they  conscious  ?  What  is  their  fate  ? 
The  purely  didactic  and  speculative  character  of  the  closing 
tablet  is  thus  evident.  It  embodies  some  of  the  speculations 
of  the  theologians  of  ancient  Babylonia  on  the  basis  of  popu- 
lar beliefs,  which  assumed  that  all  the  dead  were  huddled 
together  in  a  great  subterranean  cave,  conscious,  but  help- 
less. Gilgamesh  appeals  to  the  goddess  Ninsun  to  help  him 
find  the  way  to  the  nether  world  and  there  to  interview  his 
companion  Engidu  in  order  to  ascertain  the  fate  of  the 
dead. 

The  goddess  enjoins  a  large  number  of  precautions  that 
must  be  carried  out  in  order  to  obtain  this  end.  He  must 
be  careful  not  to  arouse  the  dead  by  too  much  noise,  nor  to 
frighten  them.  He  must  abstain  from  living  with  his  wife 
and  from  showing  affection  for  his  children. 

"  A  clean  shirt  thou  must  not  put  on ; 

With  fine  oil  thou  must  not  anoint  thyself ; 

Otherwise,  they   (i.e.,  the  dead)    at  the  door  will  gather 

around  thee. 
Do  not  place  the  bow  on  the  ground,  or  those  slain  by  the 

bow  will  surround  thee. 
Do  not  take  a  scepter  into  thy  hand,  or  the  shades  of  the 

dead  will  tremble  before  thee. 
Do  not  put  shoes  on  thy  feet ; 
Make  no  noise  in  treading. 

The  wife  whom  thou  lovest,  thou  must  not  kiss. 
Thy  wife  whom  thou  dost  not  like,  thou  must  not  strike. 
The  child  that  thou  lovest,  thou  must  not  kiss ; 
The  child  that  thou  dost  not  like,  thou  must  not  strike." 

Apparently  Gilgamesh  fails  in  carrying  out  all  of  these 
precepts,  though  on  account  of  the  fragmentary  condition  of 
the  tablet  we  are  unable  to  say  exactly  what  happened  except 
that  Gilgamesh  did  not  attain  his  end. 

The  second  scene  follows,  in  which  Gilgamesh  appeals  to 
the  great  gods,  to  Enlil,  the  head  of  the  old  Babylonian 
pantheon,  to  the  Moon-god  Sin,  and  to  the  god  Ea,  the  friend 
and  benefactor  of  mankind.     To  each  in  turn  he  appeals  to 


218  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

tell  him  how  he  can  reach  Engidii.  Enlil  and  Sin  do  not 
even  offer  a  response,  but  Ea,  moved  with  pity,  intercedes  on 
behalf  of  Gilgamesh  with  Nergal,  the  god  of  the  lower  world. 
A  hole  is  opened  and  the  spirit  of  Engidu  appears  ''  like  a 
wind."  Gilgamesh  recognizes  his  friend  and  asks  him  the 
question  that  he  has  so  long  desired  to  put. 

"  Tell  me,  my  friend, 

Tell  me,  my  friend. 

The  law  of  the  earth  which  thou  hast  experienced, 

Tell  me." 

Sadly  the  answer  comes  back: 

"  I  will  not  tell  thee,  my  friend, 

I  will  not  tell  thee. 

If  I  told  thee  the  law  of  the  earth  which  I  have  experi- 
enced, 

Thou  wouldst  sit  down  and  weep  all  day. 

As  I  sit  down  all  day  and  weep. 

Behold  the  friend  whose  hands  thou  hast  clasped,  rejoicing 
thy  heart. 

The  worms  eat  him  like  a  worn-out  garment. 

Endigu,  whose  hand  thou  didst  once  clasp,  rejoicing  thy 
heart. 

Is  like  .  .  .  full  of  earth  dust: 

Into  the  dust  he  has  sunk ;  into  the  dust  he  has  sunk." 

Nothing  could  be  gloomier  than  this  outlook  given  toward 
the  end  of  the  twelfth  tablet.  The  dead  are  conscious  of 
their  misery,  which  only  intensifies  the  sadness  of  their 
state.  There  is  only  one  faint  ray  of  light  illuminating  the 
darkness.  If  the  living  revere  the  dead  by  providing  them 
with  food  and  drink  and  by  recalling  their  presence  on  earth, 
the  dead  will  at  least  not  suffer  the  pangs  of  hunger  or  ex- 
perience the  pain  of  neglect  and  of  being  forgotten.  Further- 
more, to  die  the  hero's  death  on  the  battle-field  is  a  distinc- 
tion, since  it  at  least  furnishes  a  greater  assurance  that  the 
dead  will  not  be  neglected. 

The  Gilgamesh  Epic  closes  as  follows : 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  219 

He  who  dies  by  death  through  the  sword,  as  you  have  seen 

and  I  have  seen, 
He  rests  on  a  couch,  pure  water  he  drinks ; 
He  who  dies  in  battle,  as  you  have  seen  and  I  have  seen, 
His  father  and  mother  hold  his  head  and  his  wife  bends 

over  him. 
But  he  whose  corpse  is  thrown  into  the  field,  as  you  have 

seen  and  I  have  seen. 
Whose  shade  does  not  rest  in  the  ground. 
That  shade  has  no  one  to  care  for  it,  as  you  have  seen  and  I 

have  seen; 
What  is  left  in  the  pot,  what  is  thrown  into  the  street, 
He  is  obliged  to  eat. 

That  is,  a  decent  burial  and  proper  provision  for  the  nur- 
ture of  the  dead  are  all  that  the  living  can  do  for  those  who 
have  passed  beyond  our  vision. 

COMMENTARY 

While,  as  several  times  pointed  out,  there  are  many  feat- 
ures  in  this   remarkable   production   which,    owing   to   the 
fragmentary  condition  of  so  many  of  the  tablets,  remain  ob- 
scure, yet  the  general  course  of  the  narrative  is  clear  and, 
above  all,  its  composite  character  is  evident.     Various  at- 
tempts have  been  made  to  assign  an  astral  or  astro-mytholog- 
ical character  to  the  episodes  in  the  epic.     It  has  been  sup- 
posed that  the  adventures  of  Gilgamesh  represent  in  reality 
phenomena  in  the  heavens  associated  with  the  fanciful  con- 
stellations, and  again,  it  has  been  supposed  that  the  adven- 
tures of  Gilgamesh  in  the  twelve  tablets  symbolize  the  yearly 
course  of  the  sun,  each  tablet  corresponding  to  the  position 
of  the  sun  in  one  of  the  twelve  constellations.     It  can  not, 
however,  be  said  that  any  of  these  endeavors  have  met  with 
much  success.     Certainly  they  have  not  received  the  general 
approval  of  scholars.     It  seems  more  natural  to  assume,  as 
is  taken  for  granted  throughout  this  analysis,  that  there  is 
at  the  bottom  of  the  tale  some  faint  historical  reminiscences 
associated  with  an  early  semi-mythical  ruler  of  Uruk.     The 


220  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

one  episode  which  appears  to  belong  to  Gilgamesh  without 
much  question  is  the  conflict  with  Khumbaba,  who  dwells  in 
the  forest  of  cedars.  This  incident  may  well  reflect  the  suc- 
cessful resistance  of  an  invasion  of  Babylonia  from  the 
north.  The  association  of  Gilgamesh  with  Elam  to  the  east 
of  Babylonia  also  rests  on  some  historical  basis.  The  figure 
of  Engidu  is  merely  the  type  of  the  first  man  together  with 
traditions  of  a  purely  fanciful  and  speculative  character  re- 
garding the  beginnings  of  man's  existence  on  earth  which 
are  artificially  brought  into  association  with  the  favorite  hero. 
The  mythical  element,  we  have  seen,  is  also  introduced,  which 
brings  Gilgamesh  into  close  association  with  the  Sun-god  on 
the  one  hand  and,  on  the  other,  attaches  to  him  myths  that 
clearly  symbolize  the  change  of  seasons.  Incidents  illustra- 
tive of  the  great  strength  of  Gilgamesh  are  also  introduced, 
ard  no  doubt  other  exploits  in  the  missing  portions  of  the  epic. 

The  story,  finally,  was  taken  up  by  the  theologians  at- 
tached to  the  temples  of  Babylonia  and  made  the  medium  for 
speculations  on  immortality  and  the  fate  of  the  dead.  These 
speculations,  full  of  naive  symbolism,  have  colored,  as  we 
have  seen,  the  second  part  of  the  epic  and  are  responsible  for 
the  addition  of  the  twelfth  tablet. 

The  story  of  Gilgamesh  must  have  traveled  beyond  the  re- 
gion in  which  it  arose.  Echoes  of  it  are  found  among  the 
Greeks,  in  the  adventures  of  Hercules,  and  in  the  fanciful 
tales  attached  to  Alexander  the  Great.  But  while  such  in- 
fluences must  be  recognized,  a  warning  is  in  place  against 
exaggerating  their  extent.  A  very  distinguished  German 
Assyriologist,  in  publishing  a  volume  on  "  Gilgamesh  in 
World  Literature,"  has  endeavored  to  find  traces  of  the  epic 
in  almost  all  parts  of  the  Ancient  World  and  in  almost  all  the 
fables  and  myths  that  have  circulated  from  India  to  the  At- 
lantic Ocean.  The  endeavor  has  failed,  despite  the  learning 
and  ingenuity  of  the  author.^^  For  all  that,  it  may  be  said 
that  there  is  no  production  of  ancient  Babylonia  which  has 
exerted  so  wide  an  influence  as  this  remarkable  tale. 

28Profe98or  Peter  Jensen   (University  of  Marburg),  "Das  Oilgamesh- 
Epos  in  der  Weltliteratur  "  (Strassburg,  1906). 


THE  GREAT  AGE  OF  BABYLONIA 

(2100-1100  B.C.) 


OTHER  RELIGIOUS  LEGENDS 


'  Food  of  life  they  brought  him,  hut  he  ate  not; 
Water  of  life  they  brought  him,  but  he  drank  not." 

—  ADAPA  LEGEND. 


OTHER  RELIGIOUS  LEGENDS 

(INTRODUCTION) 

IjST  addition  to  the  Creation  and  Gilgamesli  epics  several 
other  tablet  series  have  come  down  to  us,  though  no 
others  form  such  extended  or  connected  stories.  The  legend 
of  Adapa,  presented  here,  has  aroused  wide  interest  because 
of  its  resemblance  and  difference  to  the  Genesis  account  of 
the  tree  of  life.  In  the  Adapa  tale  the  gods  would  give  the 
hero  eternal  life,  but  he,  through  over-caution,  following 
the  counsel  of  the  god  Ea,  rejects  the  food  and  water  of  life. 
Wisdom  and  knowledge  Adapa  already  had.  So  that,  with 
the  same  materials,  the  story  at  each  point  reverses  that  of 
Adam.     Instead  of  being  disobedient,  Adapa  is  too  obedient. 

What  finally  became  of  Adapa  we  do  not  know,  as  his 
tale  is  incomplete.  The  legend  is  now  known  from  four 
tablets.  Three  of  these  were  in  Ashur-banipal's  library. 
The  fourth,  which  parallels  and  enlarges  part  of  one  of  the 
others,  was  found  at  Tel-el-Amarna  in  Egypt.  Its  date  is 
about  1400  B.C.,  and  from  the  way  it  is  marked  it  was  prob- 
ably a  common  text  used  to  teach  the  Babylonian  tongue 
to  Egyptian  scholars.  Hence  we  have  here  another  evi- 
dence of  how  aged  were  many  of  the  texts  which  Ashur- 
banipal  copied,  and  of  how  little  they  changed  with  the  pas- 
sage of  the  centuries. 

The  Legend  of  the  Seven  Evil  Spirits  is  from  a  long  se- 
ries of  sixteen  tablets  all  dealing  with  demons.  The  series 
is  in  Ashur-banipal's  library,  and  gives  a  late  text  side  by 
side  with  an  old  Sumerian  one.  Perhaps  in  their  original 
form  these  demon  texts  were  very  old,  but  our  present  Su- 
merian copy  has  Marduk  of  Babylon  as  its  chief  deity,  and 
hence  can  not  antedate  the  time  of  Babylon's  power,  "  The 
Seven "   are  favorite  figures  of  Babylonian   and  Assyrian 

223 


224  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

magic.     Much  of  the  old  "  literature  of  fear  "  is  based  upon 
them. 

The  remarkable  tale  of  Ishtar's  descent  into  the  lower 
world  brings  us  with  almost  painful  sharpness  to  face  the 
Babylonian  conception  of  after-life.  There  is  a  world  of 
the  dead ;  but  it  is  a  bleak  shadow-world,  a  "  house  without 
light  for  him  who  enters."  Its  queen,  when  she  hears  of 
Ishtar's  coming,  cries  out  in  amazement,  asking  what  has 
moved  Ishtar's  heart  that  she  should  wish  to  dwell  in  this 
dead  and  shriveled  home,  "  to  eat  clay  as  food,  to  drink  dust 
as  wine."  It  is  as  drear  as  the  stern  old  Scandinavian  myth 
of  the  ice-bound  world  of  the  dead  souls  who  have  missed 
Valhalla.     But  Babylon  knew  no  Valhalla. 


OTHER  RELIGIOUS  LEGENDS 


ADAPA  AND  THE  FOOD  OF  LIFE  * 

TABLET  NO.  1  2 


He  possessed  intelligence 


) 


His  command  like  the  command  of  Ann  .  .  . 

He  (Ea)  granted  him  a  wide  ear  to  reveal  the  destiny 

of  the  land, 
He  granted  him  wisdom,  but  he  did  not  grant  him  eternal 

life. 
5  In  those  days,  in  those  years  the  wise  man  of  Eridu, 
Ea  had  created  him  as  chief  among  men, 
A  wise  man  whose  command  none  should  oppose, 
The  prudent,  the  most  wise  among  the  Anunnaki  was  he, 

1  Reprinted,  by  permission  of  the  Methodist  Book  Concern,  from 
"  Crineiform  Parallels  to  the  Old  Testament,"  by  Prof.  R.  W.  Rogers. 

2  The  four  Adapa  tablets  may  be  here  summarized  as  a  clue  to  their 
contents,  which  in  the  translation  alone  might  not  always  be  clear 
upon  the  first  examination. 

No.  1.  Adapa,  or  perhaps  Adamu,  son  of  Ea,  had  received  from  his 
father  wisdom,  but  not  eternal  life.  He  was  a  semi-divine  being  and 
was  the  wise  man  and  priest  of  the  temple  of  Ea  at  Eridu,  which  he 
provided  with  the  ritual  bread  and  water.  In  the  exercise  of  thia 
duty  he  carried  on  fishing  upon  the  Persian  Gulf. 

No.  2.  When  Adapa  was  fisliing  one  day  on  a  smooth  sea,  the  south 
wind  rose  suddenly  and  overturned  his  boat,  so  that  he  was  thrown 
into  the  sea.  Angered  by  the  mishap,  he  broke  the  wings  of  the  south 
wind  so  that  for  seven  days  it  could  not  blow  the  sea's  coolness  over 
the  hot  land.  Anu  calls  Adapa  to  account  for  this  misdeed,  and  his 
father  Ea  warns  him  as  to  what  should  befall  him.  He  tells  him  how 
to  secure  the  pity  of  Tammuz  and  Gishzida,  whom  he  would  meet  at 
heaven's  portal,  and  cautions  him  not  to  eat  the  food  or  partake  of 
the  drink  which  would  be  set  before  him,  as  Ea  feared  that  food  and 
drink  of  death  would  be  offered  him.  Tlie  counsel  was  ill  advised,  for 
it  was,  rather,  the  food  of  life  and  the  water  of  life  that  were  set 
before  him,  and  over-caution  deprived  him  of  immortal  life,  and  he 
had  to  return  to  earth. 

No.  3  is  a  duplicate  of  lines  12  to  21  of  No.  2. 

No.  4  is  so  badly  broken  that  its  general  sense  is  very  difficult  to 
obtain. 

VOL.  I.— 15.  225 


226  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Blameless,  of  clean  hands,  anointed,  obsen^er  of  the  di- 
vine statutes, 
10  With  the  bakers  he  made  bread, 

With  the  bakers  of  Eridu,  he  made  bread. 

The  food  and  the  water  for  Eridu  he  made  daily, 

With  his  clean  hands  he  prepared  the  table, 

And  without  him  the  table  was  not  cleared. 
15  The  ship  he  steered,  fishing  and  hunting  for  Eridu  he 
did. 

Then  Adapa  of  Eridu 

While  Ea,  .  .  .  in  the  chamber,  upon  the  bed. 

Daily  the  closing  of  Eridu  he  attended  to. 

Upon  the  pure  dam,  the  new  moon  dam,  he  embarked 
upon  the  ship, 
20  The  wind  blew  and  his  ship  departed, 

With  the  oar,  he  steered  his  ship 

Upon  the  broad  sea  .  .  . 

TABLET  NO.  2 


The  south  wind  .  .  .  when 

He  had  driven  me  to  the  house  of  my  lord,  I  said, 

"  0  South  wind,  on  the  way  I  shall  to  thee  .  .  .  every- 
thing that, 
5  Thy  wing  will  I  break."     As  he  spoke  with  his  mouth, 

The  wing  of  the  South  wind  was  broken,  seven  days 

The  South  wnnd  blew  not  upon  the  land.     Anu 

Called  to  his  messenger  Habrat: 

"  Why  has  the  South  wind  not  blown  upon  the  land  for 
seven  days  ?  " 
10  His  messenger  Habrat  answered  him :     "  My  lord, 

Adapa,  the  son  of  Ea,  the  wing  of  the  South  wind 

Has  broken." 

TABLET  NO.  2   {contimied)  TABLET  NO.  3 

When   Anu   heard   these  1  When  heard  that 
words 

13  He  cried,  "  Help !  "     He  2  In  the  anger  of  his  heart 


ascended    his    throne 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST 


227 


TABLET  NO.  2   (continued) 
"  Let   some   one   bring 
him," 
14  Likewise  Ea,  who  knows 
the  heaven.    He  roused 
him 


15 


he 


caused  him  to 
wear.  With  a  mourn- 
ing garment 

16  He     garbed     him,     and 

gave  him  counsel 

17  Saying:      "  Adapa,     be- 

fore the  face  of  Ann 
the  King  thou  art  to 
go, 


18  ...  to  heaven 

19  When    thou    comest    up, 

and  when  thou  ap- 
proachest  the  door  of 
Anu, 

20  At    the    door    of    Anu, 

Tammuz  and  Gishzida 


TABLET  NO.  3 
3  His  messenger  he  sent. 


4  He  who  knows  the  heart 
of  the  great  gods 


6  To  King  Ea  to  come, 

7  To  him,  he  caused  words 

to  be  borne. 

8  ...  to  him,  to  King  Ea. 

9  He  sent  a  messenger 

10  With  a  wide  ear,  know- 
ing  the   heart   of   the 
great  gods, 
...  of   the    heavens    be 

fixed. 
A     soiled     garment     he 
made  him  wear, 


11 


12 


21  are  standing, 


13  With    a    mourning    gar- 

ment he  clad  him, 

14  A  word  he  spoke  to  him. 


15  "  Adapa,  before  the  King 

Anu  thou  shalt  go 

16  Fail  not  the  order,  keep 

my  word 

17  When  thou  comest  up  to 

heaven,  and  approach- 
est  the  door  of  Anu, 

18  Tammuz     and     Gishzida 

at  the  door  of  Anu  are 
standing. 


228  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


TABLET  NO.  2 


"  they  will  see  thee,  they  will  ask  thee ;  '  Sir,^ 
For  whose  sake  dost  thou  so  appear,  Adapa  ?    For  whom 
Art  thou  clad  in  a  mourning  garment V     'In  our  coun- 
try two  gods  have  vanished,  therefore 
Am  I  so.'     '  Who  are  the  two  gods,  who  in  the  land 
25  Have  vanished?'     '  Tammuz  and  Gishzida,'     They  will 
look  at  one  another  and 
Be  astonished.     Good  words 

They  will  speak  to  Anu.     A  good  countenance  of  Anu 
They  will  show  thee.     When  thou  standest  before  Anu 
Food  of  death  they  will  set  before  thee, 
30  Eat  not.     Water  of  death  they  will  set  before  thee, 
Drink  not.     Garments  they  will  set  before  thee, 
Put  them  on.     Oil  they  will  set  before  thee,  anoint  thy- 
self. 
The  counsel  that  I  have  given  thee,  forget  not.     The 

words 
Which  I  have  spoken,  hold  fast."     The  messenger 
35  Of  Anu  came :     "  Adapa  has  broken 

The  wing  of  the  South  wind.     Bring  him  before  me." 
The  road  to  Heaven  he  made  him  take,  and  to  Heaven  he 

ascended. 
When  he  came  to  Heaven,  when  he  approached  the  door 

of  Anu, 
At  the  door  of  Anu,  Tammuz  and  Gishzida  are  standing. 
40  When  they  saw  him,  Adapa,  they  cried :     "  Help, 
Sir,  for  whom  dost  thou  so  appear  ?     Adapa, 
For  whom  art  thou  clad  in  a  mourning  garment  ?  " 
"  In  the  country  two  gods  have  vanished ;  therefore  am 

I  clad 
In  mourning  garments."     "  Who  are  the  two  gods,  who 
have  vanished  from  the  land  ?  " 
45  "  Tammuz  and  Gishzida."     They  looked  at  one  another 
and 

3  Adapa  i3  to  wear  mourning  at  heaven's  portal,  as  tliougli  for  Tam- 
muz and  Gishzida,  and  thereby  excite  their  interest  and  sympathy,  and 
the  ruse  proves  successful. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  229 

Were  astonished.     When  Adapa  before  Ann,  the  King, 

Drew  near,  and  Anu  saw  him,  he  cried: 

"  Come  hither,  Adapa.     Why  hast  thou  broken  the  wings 

Of  the  South  wind  ?  "     Adapa  answered  Anu :     "  My 
lord, 
50  For  the  house  of  my  lord  in  the  midst  of  the  sea, 

I  was  catching  fish.     The  sea  was  like  a  mirror. 

The  South  wind  blew,  and  capsized  me. 

To  the  house  of  my  lord  was  I  driven.     In  the  anger  of 
my  heart, 

I  took  heed."  .  .  .  Tammuz  and  Gishzida 
55  Answered  .  .  .  "art  thou."     To  Anu 

They  speak.     He  calmed  himself,  his  heart  was  .  .  . 

"  Why  has  Ea  revealed  to  impure  mankind 

The  heart  of  heaven  and  earth  ?     A  heart 

.  .  .  has  created  within  him,  has  made  him  a  name  ? 
60  What  can  we  do  with  him  ?     Food  of  life 

Bring  him,  that  he  may  eat."     Food  of  life 

They  brought  him,  but  he  ate  not.     Water  of  life 

They  brought  him,  but  he  drank  not.     Garments 

They  brought  him.     He  clothed  himself.     Oil 
65  They  brought  him.     He  anointed  himself. 

Anu  looked  at  him;  he  wondered  at  him. 

"  Come,  Adapa,  why  hast  thou  not  eaten,  not  drunken  ? 

Now  thou  shalt  not  live."  .  .  .  men  .  .  .  Ea,  my  lord 

Said :     "  Eat  not,  drink  not." 
70  Take  him  and  bring  him  back  to  his  earth. 

.  .  .  looked  upon  him. 


230  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


THE  SEVEN  EVIL  SPIRITS  ' 

Raging  storms,  evil  gods  are  they 

Ruthless  demons,  who  in  heaven's  vault  were  created,  are 
they. 

Workers  of  evil  are  they, 
They  lift  up  the  head  to  evil,  every  day  to  evil 
5  Destruction  to  work. 

Of  these  seven  the  first  is  the  South  wind  .  .  . 

The  second  is  a  dragon,  whose  mouth  is  opened  .  .  . 

That  none  can  measure. 
The   third    is    a   grim    leopard,    which    carries    off   the 
young  ... 
10  The  fourth  is  a  terrible  Shihhu  .  .  . 

The  fifth  is  a  furious  Wolf,  who  knoweth  not  to  flee, 
The  sixth  is  a  rampant  .  .  .  which  marches  against  god 

and  king. 
The  seventh  is  a  storm,  an  evil  wind,  which  takes  ven- 
geance, 
Seven  are  they,  messengers  to  King  Anu  are  they, 
15  From  city  to  city  darkness  work  they, 

A  hurricane,  which  mightily  hunts  in  the  heavens,  are 

they. 
Thick  clouds,  that  bring  darkness  in  heaven,  are  they, 
Gusts  of  wind  rising,  which  cast  gloom  over  the  bright 

day,  are  they, 
With  the  Imkhullu,^  the  evil  wind,  forcing  their  way, 
are  they, 
20  The  overflowing  of  Adad,^  mighty  destroyers,  are  they, 

1  This  story  is  the  sixteenth  tablet  of  a  series  called  the  "  Evil 
Demon  Series,"  of  which  we  have  an  Assyrian  with  a  parallel  Su- 
merian  text.  Presumably,  therefore,  it  was  a  very  ancient  legend.  It 
is  translated  by  R.  C.  Thompson. 

2  The  Tmkhullu  appears  also  in  the  Creation  Epic. 

3  Adad  is  god  of  storm,  Anu  of  heaven,  Enlil  of  storm,  Sin  of  the 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  231 

At  the  right  of  Adad  stalking,  are  they, 

In  the  height  of  heaven,  like  lightning  Hashing,  are  they, 

To  wreak  destruction  forward  go  they, 

In  the  broad  heaven,  the  home  of  Ann,  the  King,  evilly 
do  they  arise,  and  none  to  oppose. 
25  When  Enlil  heard  these  tidings,  a  plan  in  his  heart  he 
pondered, 

•With  Ea,  exalted  Massu  of  the  gods,  he  took  counsel. 

Sin,  Shamash,  and  Ishtar,  whom  he  had  set  to  order  the 
vault  of  heaven. 

With  Anu  he  divided  the  lordship  of  the  whole  heaven. 

To  these  three  gods,  his  offspring, 
30  Day  and  night,  without  ceasing,  he  ordained  to  stand. 

When  the  seven  evil  gods  stormed  the  vault  of  heaven. 

Before  the  gleaming  Sin,  they  set  themselves  angrily,^ 

The  mighty  Shamash,  Adad  the  warrior,  they  brought 
on  their  side, 

Ishtar,  with  Anu  the  King,  moved  into  a  shining  dwell- 
ing, exercising  dominion  over  the  heavens, 

[N"early  ten  lines  here  are  unreadable.] 

Day  and  night  he  was  dark  (i.e..  Sin),  in  the  dwelling 

of  his  dominion  he  sat  not  down, 
The  evil  gods,  the  messengers  of  Anu,  the  King,  are  they. 
Raising  their  evil  heads,  in  the  night  shaking  themselves, 

are  thev, 
45  Evil  searching  out,  are  they. 

From  the  heaven,  like  a  wind,  over  the  land  rush  they. 
Enlil  saw  the  darkening  of  the  hero  Sin  in  heaven. 
The  lord  spoke  to  his  minister  Nusku, 
"  O  my  minister  Nusku,  my  message   unto  the  ocean 

bring, 
50  The  tidings  of  my  son  Sin,  who  in  heaven  has  been  sadly 

darkened. 

Moon,  Shamash  of  the  Sun,  and  Ishtar  of  love  and  fruitfulness.     The 
meaning  of  Massu  is  unknown;  but  Ea  was  long  the  chief  ruler. 

*  The  evil  gods  darken  the  moon  by  an  eclipse,  Shamash  helping 
them  by  withdrawing  his  light  from  the  moon,  and  Adad  by  sending 
cloudy  weather. 


232  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Unto  Ea,  in  the  ocean,  announce  it." 

Nusku  exalted  the  word  of  his  lord, 

To  Ea,  in  the  ocean,  he  went  quickly, 

To  the  prince,  the  exalted  Massu,  the  lord  Nudimmud.^ 
55  Nusku,  the  word  of  his  lord  there  announced, 

Ea  in  the  ocean  heard  that  word. 

He  bit  his  lip  and  filled  his  mouth  with  wailing ; 

Ea  called  his  son  Marduk,  and  gave  him  the  message : 

"  Go,  my  son  Marduk, 
60  Son  of  a  prince,  the  gleaming  Sin  has  been  sadly  dark- 
ened in  heaven, 

His  darkening  is  seen  in  the  heavens, 

The  seven  evil  gods,  death-dealing,  fearless  are  they. 

The  seven  evil  gods,  like  a  flood,  rush  on,  the  land  they 
fall  upon,  do  they. 

Against  the  land,  like  a  storm,  they  rise,  do  they, 
65  Before  the  gleaming  Sin,  they  set  themselves  angrily ; 

The  mighty  Shamash,  Adad  the  warrior,  they  brought 
on  their  side."  ® 

5  A  name  for  Ea. 

6  The  tablet  here  breaks  off.     Doubtless  Marduk  saved  the  darkened 
moon,  and  pimished  the  Seven  Spirits. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  233 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  "THE  SEVEN  "  ^ 


Destructive  storms  and  evil  winds  are  they, 

A  storm  of  evil,  presaging  the  baneful  storm, 

A  storm  of  evil,  forerunner  of  the  baneful  storm. 

Mighty  children,  mighty  sons  are  they, 

Messengers  of  Namtar  are  they, 

Throne-bearers  of  Ereshkigal.^ 

The  flood  driving  through  the  land  are  they. 

Seven  gods  of  the  wide  heavens. 

Seven  gods  of  the  broad  earth. 

Seven  robber-gods  are  they. 

Seven  gods  of  universal  sway, 

Seven  evil  gods. 

Seven  evil  demons. 

Seven  evil  and  violent  demons, 

Seven  in  heaven,  seven  on  earth. 

II 
Neither  male  nor  female  are  they. 
Destructive  whirlwinds  they, 
Having  neither  wife  nor  offspring. 
Compassion  and  mercy  they  do  not  know. 
Prayer  and  supplication  they  do  not  hear. 
Horses  reared  i?  \he  mountains, 

Hostile  to  Ea. 
Throne-bearers  of  the  gods  are  they. 
Standing  on  the  highway,  befouling  the  street. 
Evil  are  they,  evil  are  they. 
Seven  they  are,  seven  they  are, 

Twice  seven  they  are. 

1  These  evil  spirits,  "  The  Seven,"  reappear  constantly  in  charms  and 
exorcisms.  Three  descriptions  of  them  from  various  incantations  are 
gathered  here.  The  translations  are  by  R.  C.  Thompson  and  Prof.  M. 
Jastrow. 

2  The  mistress  of  the  netherworld,  while  Namtar  is  the  god  of 
pestilence. 


234  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


III 


The  high  enclosures,  the  broad  enclosures  like  a  flood  they 

pass  through. 
From  house  to  house  they  dash  along. 
No  door  can  shut  them  out, 
No  bolt  can  turn  them  back. 
Through  the  door,  like  a  snake,  they  glide. 
Through  the  hinge,  like  the  wind,  they  storm. 
Tearing  the  wife  from  the  embrace  of  the  man, 
Snatching  the  child  from  the  knees  of  a  man,^ 
Driving  the  freedman  from  his  family  home. 


CHAEM  AGAINST  THE  SEVEN  EVIL  SPIRITS  ^ 

Seven  are  they,  seven  are  they! 

In  the  channel  of  the  deep  seven  are  they ! 

In  the  radiance  of  heaven  seven  are  they! 

In  the  channel  of  the  deep  in  a  palace  grew  they  up. 
5  Male  they  are  not,  female  they  are  not. 

In  the  midst  of  the  deep  are  their  paths. 

Wife  they  have  not,  son  they  have  not. 

Order  and  kindness  know  they  not. 

Prayer  and  supplication  hear  they  not. 
10  The  cavern  in  the  mountain  they  enter. 

Unto  Hea  are  they  hostile. 

The  throne-bearers  of  the  gods  are  they. 

Disturbing  the  lily  in  the  torrents  are  they  set. 

Baleful  are  they,  baleful  are  they. 
15  Seven  are  they,  seven  are  they,  seven  twice  again  are  they. 

May  the  spirits  of  heaven  remember,  may  the  spirits  of 
earth  remember. 

3  An  interesting  reference  to  a  widespread  custom  in  antiquity  of 
having  the  new-born  child  received  on  the  knees  of  the  father.  See 
Job  iii.  12. 

1  For  the  sake  of  roinpleteness  a  charm  for  averting  the  attack  of 
the  seven  evil  spirits  or  storm-clouds  may  be  added  here.  It  forms  part 
of  the  great  collection  of  magical  formulae. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  235 


DESCENT  OF  THE  GODDESS  ISHTAR  INTO  THE 

LOWER  WORLD  ^ 

To  the  land  of  no  return,  the  land  of  darkness,^ 

Ishtar,  the  daughter  of  Sin  ^  directed  her  thought,* 

Directed  her  thought,  Ishtar,  the  daughter  of  Sin, 

To  the  house  of  shadows,  the  dwelling  of  Irkalla,^ 

To  the  house  without  exit  for  him  who  enters  therein. 

To  the  road  whence  there  is  no  turning. 

To  the  house  without  light  for  him  who  enters  therein, 

The  place  where  dust  is  their  nourishment,  clay  their  food.® 

They  have  no  light,  in  darkness  they  dwell. 

Clothed  like  birds,  with  wings  as  garments, 

Over  door  and  bolt,  dust  has  gathered^ 

Ishtar  on  arriving  at  the  gate  of  the  land  of  no  return. 

To  the  gatekeeper  thus  addressed  herself: 

1  Reprinted,  by  permission  of  the  J.  B.  Lippincott  Co.,  from  "  The 
Civilization  of  Babylonia  and  Assyria,"  by  Prof.  M.  Jastrow. 

2  The  goddess  Ishtar,  as  the  great  mother  goddess,  is  the  goddess  of 
vegetation  in  nature,  as  of  fertility  among  mankind  and  animals.  She 
is  pictured  as  spending  half  the  year  on  earth,  when  nature  is  in 
bloom  and  animals  throw  off  their  young,  while  during  the  remaining 
half,  when  nature  seems  dead,  she  is  imprisoned  in  the  lower  world 
known  as  Aralu.  The  story  of  her  descent  to  Aralu  is,  therefore,  a 
nature  myth,  symbolizing  the  change  from  the  siunmer  to  the  winter 
season,  while  her  release  is  the  corresponding  change  from  winter  to 
summer.  The  story,  as  related  in  the  following  poem,  appears  to  have 
had  attached  to  it  as  a  moral  the  faint  possibility  of  a  revivification 
of  the  dead;  it  may  have  been  composed  in  connection  with  a  ritual  in 
honor  of  the  old  Sumerian  god  Tammuz  or  Dumu-Zi-Apsu,  "  the  child 
of  the  spirit  (or  life)  of  the  Deep,"  the  Sun-god  of  the  springtime 
whose  departure  was  mourned  and  whose  return  was  hailed  with  ap- 
propriate ceremonies.  In  other  tales  Tammuz  is  pictured  as  the  lover 
of  Ishtar,  slain  by  the  goddess  because  of  his  rejection  of  her  love. 

3  The  Moon-god. 

4  Literally,  "  fixed  her  ear." 

5  Another  name  for  the  netherworld. 

6  I.e.,  of  the  inhabitants. 

7  The  netherworld  is  pictured  as  a  plane  filled  with  dust,  and 
guarded  by  seven  gates  through  which  one  must  pass  before  reaching  it. 


236  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

"  Gatekeeper,  ho,  open  thy  gate ! 
Open  thy  gate  that  I  may  enter! 
If  thou  openest  not  the  gate  to  let  me  enter, 
I  will  break  the  door,  I  will  wrench  the  lock, 
I  will  smash  the  door-posts,  I  will  force  the  doors. 
I  will  bring  up  the  dead  to  eat  the  living,* 
And  the  dead  will  outnumber  the  living." 
The  gatekeeper  opened  his  mouth  and  spoke, 
Spoke  to  the  lady  Ishtar: 
"  Desist,  O  lady,  do  not  destroy  it. 

I  will  go  and  announce  thy  name  to  my  queen  Ereshkigal."  ® 
The  gatekeeper  entered  and  spoke  to  Ereshkigal: 
"  Ho !  here  is  thy  sister,  Ishtar  .  .  . 
Hostility  of  the  great  powers  .  .  ." 
When  Ereshkigal  heard  this. 
As  when  one  hews  down  a  tamarisk  she  trembled. 
As  when  one  cuts  a  reed,  she  shook: 

"  What  has  moved  her  heart,  what  has  stirred  her  liver  ?  ^^ 
Ho  there,  does  this  one  wish  to  dwell  with  me  ? 
To  eat  clay  as  food,  to  drink  dust  as  wine  ? 
I  weep  for  the  men  who  have  left  their  wives. 
I  weep  for  the  wives  torn  from  the  embrace  of  their  hus- 
bands ; 
For  the  little  ones  cut  off  before  their  time.^^ 
Go,  gatekeeper,  open  thy  gate  for  her. 
Deal  with  her  according  to  the  ancient  decree."  ^^ 
The  gatekeeper  went  and  opened  his  gate  to  her: 
"  Enter,  O  lady,  let  Cuthah  ^^  greet  thee. 

8  Based  on  the  belief  in  vampires  and  other  monsters,  who,  as  spirits 
of  the  dead,  return  to  earth  to  destroy  the  living. 

9  The  goddess  of  the  netherworld,  pictured  as  Ishtar's  sister,  just  as 
life  and  death  are  frequently  pictured  as  brothers  in  popular  poetry. 
The  name  signifies  "  lady  of  the  great  palace,"  i.e.,  of  Aralu. 

10  Heart  and  liver  as  the  seat  of  the  intellect  and  of  the  emotions 
respectively. 

11  With  Ishtar  in  the  netherworld,  the  living  are  without  protec- 
tion ;  they  die,  as  does  all  nature,  and  Ereshkigal  is  moved  with  pity 
for  their  fate. 

12  I.e.,  treat  her  as  the  dead  are  dealt  with. 

'3  The  old  city,  of  which  Nergal,  the  god  of  pestilence,  was  the 
patron,  becomes  a  poetical  name  for  Aralu. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  ilU't 

Let  the  palace  of  the  land  of  no  return  rejoice  at  thy  pres- 
ence !  " 
He  bade  her  enter  the  first  gate,  which  he  opened  wide,  and 

took  the  large  crown  off  her  head: 
"  Why,  O  gatekeeper,  dost  thou  remove  the  large  crown  off 

my  head  ? " 
"  Enter,  O  lady,  such  are  the  decrees  of  Ereshkigal." 
The  second  gate  he  bade  her  enter,  opening  it  wide,  and  re- 
moved her  earrings : 
"  Why,  O  gatekeeper,  dost  thou  remove  my  earrings  ?  " 
"  Enter,  O  lady,  for  such  are  the  decrees  of  Ereshkigal." 
The  third  gate  he  bade  her  enter,  opened  it  wide,  and  re- 
moved her  necklace: 
"  Why,  O  gatekeeper,  dost  thou  remove  my  necklace  ?  " 
"  Enter,  O  lady,  for  such  are  the  decrees  of  Ereshkigal." 
The  fourth  gate  he  bade  her  enter,  opened  it  wide,  and  re- 
moved the  ornaments  of  her  breast : 
"  Why,  O  gatekeeper,  dost  thou  remove  the  ornaments  of 

my  breast  ? " 
"  Enter,  O  lady,  for  such  are  the  decrees  of  Ereshkigal." 
The  fifth  gate  he  bade  her  enter,  opened  it  wide,  and  re- 
moved   the   girdle    of   her    body    studded    with    birth- 
stones.^^ 
"  Why,  O  gatekeeper,  dost  thou  remove  the  girdle  of  my 

body,  studded  with  birth-stones  ?  " 
"  Enter,  O  lady,  for  such  are  the  decrees  of  Ereshkigal." 
The  sixth  gate,  he  bade  her  enter,  opened  it  wide,  and  re- 
moved the  spangles  off  her  hands  and  feet. 
"  Why,  O  gatekeeper,  dost  thou  remove  the  spangles  off  my 

hands  and  feet  ?  " 
"  Enter,  O  lady,  for  thus  are  the  decrees  of  Ereshkigal." 
The  seventh  gate  he  bade  her  enter,  opened  it  wide,  and  re- 
moved her  loin-cloth. 
"  Why,  O  gatekeeper,  dost  thou  remove  my  loin-cloth  ?  " 

14  It  is  appropriate  for  Ishtar,  as  the  goddess  who  presides  over  the 
new  life,  to  have  her  girdle  studded  with  birth-stones,  i.e.,  stones  that 
have  the  power  to  secure  an  easy  delivery  for  women.  The  "  birth- 
girdle  "  appears  elsewhere  in  folk  customs. 


238  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

"  Enter,  O  lady,  for  such  are  the  decrees  of  Ereshkigal." 

Now  when  Ishtar  had  gone  down  into  the  land  of  no  return, 

Ereshkigal  saw  her  and  was  angered  at  her  presence. 

Ishtar,  without  reflection,  threw  herself  at  her.^^ 

Ereshkigal  opened  her  mouth  and  spoke, 

To  Namtar,  her  messenger,  she  addressed  herself: 

"  Go  Namtar,^"  imprison  her  in  my  palace. 

Send  against  her  sixty  diseases,^^  to  punish  Ishtar. 

Eye-disease  against  her  eyes, 

Disease  of  the  side  against  her  side, 

Foot-disease  ^*  against  her  foot. 

Heart-disease  against  her  heart, 

Head-disease  ^^  against  her  head, 

Against  her  whole  being,  against  her  entire  body." 

After  the  lady  Ishtar  had  gone  down  into  the  land  of  no 

return, 
The  bull  did  not  mount  the  cow,  the  ass  approached  not  the 

she-ass, 
To  the  maid  in  the  street,  no  man  drew  near. 
The  man  slept  in  his  apartment. 
The  maid  slept  by  herself. ^*^ 

[The  second  half  of  the  poem,  the  reverse  of  the  tablet, 
continues  as  follows:] 

The  countenance  of  Papsukal,  the  messenger  of  the  great 

gods,  fell,  his  face  was  troubled. 
In  mourning  garb  he  was  clothed,  in  soiled  garments  clad. 

15  The  two  sisters  fly  at  each  other  in  a  rage. 

16  The  god  or  demon  of  pestilence. 

17  The  diseases  are  personified  through  demons  supposed  to  be  their 
cause. 

18  Rheumatism. 

18  Fevers  and  headaches. 

20  The  gradual  disrobing  of  Ishtar,  her  ornaments  and  garments 
being  taken  away  as  she  passes  from  one  gate  to  the  other,  symbolizes 
the  gradual  decay  of  nature  after  the  summer  has  waned,  until  at  last 
Ishtar  enters  the  lower  world  naked,  and  cold,  bare  winter  has  set  in. 
It  is  a  time  when  not  only  nature  seems  dead,  but  when  among  ani- 
mals and  men  all  desire  for  new  life  ceases.  Copulation  among  ani- 
mals hna  stopped,  and  even  the  sexual  passion  among  men  is  stilled  — 
to  synibolize  the  interruption  in  the  course  of  things  on  earth. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  239 

Shamash  ^^  went  to  Sin,  his  father,  weeping, 
In  the  presence  of  Ea,  the  King,  he  went  with  flowing  tears. 
"  Ishtar  has  descended  into  the  earth  and  has  not  come  up. 
The  bull  does  not  mount  the  cow,  the  ass  does  not  approach 

the  she-ass. 
The  man  does  not  approach  the  maid  in  the  street, 
The  man  sleeps  in  his  apartment, 
The  maid  sleeps  by  herself." 
Ea,  in  the  wisdom  of  his  heart,  formed  a  being,^^ 
He  formed  Asu-shu-namir,^^  the  eunuch. 
"  Go,  Asu-shu-namir,  to  the  land  of  no  return  direct  thy 

face! 
The  seven  gates  of  the  land  without  return  be  opened  before 

thee. 
May  Ereshkigal  at  sight  of  thee  rejoice ! 
After  her  heart  has  been  assuaged,  her  liver  quieted. 
Invoke  against  her  the  name  of  the  great  gods, 
Raise    thy    head,    direct    thy    attention    to    the    hlialziku 

skin."  24 
"  Come,  lady,  let  them  give  me  the  Tclialzihu  skin,  that  I  may 

drink  water  out  of  it." 
When  Ereshkigal  heard  this,  she  struck  her  side,  bit  her 

finger, 
"  Thou  hast  expressed  a  wish  that  can  not  be  gi-anted. 
Go,  Asu-shu-namir,  I  curse  thee  with  a  gTeat  curse,  _, 

The  sweepings  of  the  gutters  of  the  city  be  thy  food. 
The  drains  of  the  city  be  thy  drink, 
The  shadow  of  the  wall  be  thy  abode. 
The  thresholds  be  thy  dwelling-place; 
Drunkard  and  sot  strike  thy  cheek !  "  ^^ 
Ereshkigal  opened  her  mouth  and  spoke. 
To  Namtar,  her  messenger,  she  addressed  herself. 

21  I.e.,  the  Sun-god. 

22  Zikru,  "  a  male." 

23  The  name   signifies,   "  His  exit   is   resplendent " —  clearly   a    sym- 
bolical allusion  to  the  rising  sun  in  the  springtime. 

24  An  obscure  word  —  perhaps  the  name  of  some  kind  of  a  bag,  made 
of  skin,  containing  the  waters  of  life. 

25  I.e.,  "  the  lowest  of  the  low  show  their  contempt  for  thee." 


UO  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

"  Go,  ISTamtar,  knock  at  the  strong  palace, ^^ 

Strike  the  threshold  of  precious  stones, 

Bring  out  the  Anunnaki,  seat  them  on  golden  thrones. 

Sprinkle  Ishtar  with  the  waters  of  life  and  take  her  out  of 

my  presence."  ^' 
Namtar  went,  knocked  at  the  strong  palace, 
Tapped  on  the  threshold  of  precious  stones. 
He  brought  out  the  Anunnaki  and  placed  them  on  golden 

thrones, 
He  sprinkled  Ishtar  with  the  waters  of  life  and  took  hold 

of  her. 
Through  the  first  gate  he  led  her  out  and  returned  to  her 

her  loin-cloth. 
Through  the  second  gate  he  led  her  out  and  returned  to  her 

the  spangles  of  her  hands  and  feet. 
Through  the  third  gate  he  led  her  out  and  returned  to  her 

the  girdle  of  her  body,  studded  with  birth-stones. 
Through  the  fourth  gate  he  led  her  out  and  returned  to  her 

the  ornaments  of  her  breast. 
Through  the  fifth  gate  he  led  her  out  and  returned  to  her 

her  necklace. 
Through  the  sixth  gate  he  led  her  out  and  returned  to  her 

her  earrings. 
Through  the  seventh  gate  he  led  her  out  and  returned  to 

her  the  large  crown  for  her  head. 

28  Or  "  the  just  palace,"  where  the  Anunnaki,  the  minor  group  of 
gods,  dwell,  acting  as  judges  of  the  dead. 

27  The  gods  at  the  instance  of  Ea  thus  form  a  plan  to  release  Ishtar, 
demanding  of  Ereshkigal  to  give  the  messenger  of  Ea,  the  eunuch 
Asu-shu-namir,  the  skin  out  of  which  he  is  to  drink,  and  thus  to 
secure  the  power  to  fetch  Ishtar  out  of  the  netherworld.  Ereshkigal 
sees  through  the  strategy,  and  in  her  rage  curses  Asu-shu-namir,  but, 
nevertheless,  realizing  that  Ishtar  must  be  released,  proceeds  to  do  so 
of  her  own  free  will  and  in  her  own  way  by  asking  the  messenger 
Namtar  to  sprinkle  the  goddess  with  water  of  life,  that,  when  thus 
filled  with  new  vigor,  Ishtar  may  pass  through  the  seven  gates  encom- 
passing the  palace  of  the  netherworld  and  at  each  gate  receive  back 
the  ornaments  and  garments  that  she  was  obliged  to  leave  there.  The 
gradual  resuscitation  of  nature  after  the  imprisonment  is  thus  sym- 
bolized, until  when  the  last  gate  is  passed,  Ishtar  emerges  into  the 
world  in  all  her  beauty  and  glory. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  241 

[The  following  lines  are  in  the  form  of  an  address  — ap- 
parently to  some  one  who  has  sought  release  for  a  dear  one 
from  the  portals  of  the  lower  world.] 

"  If  she  (Ishtar)  will  not  grant  thee  her  release,^^ 

To  Tammuz,  the  lover  of  her  youth,^^ 

Pour  out  pure  waters,  pour  out  fine  oil ; 

With  a  festival  garment  deck  him  ^"  that  he  may  play  on  the 
flute  of  lapis  lazuli, 

That  the  votaries  ^^  may  cheer  his  liver."  ^^ 

Belili^^  had  gathered  the  treasure, 

With  precious  stones  filled  her  bosom. 

When  Belili  heard  the  lament  of  her  brother,  she  dropped 
her  treasure, 

She  scattered  the  precious  stones  before  her, 

"  Oh,  my  only  brother,  do  not  let  me  perish ! 

On  the  day  when  Tammuz  plays  for  me  on  the  flute  of  lapis 
lazuli,  playing  it  for  me  with  the  porphyry  ring. 

Together  with  him,  play  ye  for  me,  ye  weepers  and  lament- 
ing women !  "  ^* 

That  the  dead  may  rise  up  and  inhale  the  incense."  ^^ 

28  I.e.,  the  release  of  the  loved  one  through  the  mediation  of  Ishtar. 

29  i.e.,  Ishtar's  lover. 

30 /.e.,  deck  Tammuz's  statue  with  a  festival  garment. 

31  Shamkhate,  one  of  the  class  of  votaries,  attached  to  the  Ishtar  cult. 

32  I.e.,  his  spirit. 

33  Sister  of  Tammuz. 

34  The  professional  mourners  who  sing  the  lament  for  the  dead,  to 
the  accompaniment  of  musical  instruments. 

35  The  closing  lines  are  obscure.  We  lack  the  key  to  their  interpre- 
tation, but  it  is  a  plausible  conjecture  that  the  poem,  composed  for 
and  perhaps  sung  at  the  festival  of  Tammuz,  when,  as  the  prophet 
Ezekiel  (viii.  14)  tells  us,  it  was  the  custom  of  women  to  wail  for 
the  lost  Tammuz,  closed  with  instructions  to  those  who,  in  commenao- 
rating  the  departure  of  Tammuz,  thought  of  their  own  dead,  who  like 
Ishtar  "  had  gone  to  the  land  of  no  return,"  to  turn  in  prayer  to 
Tammuz,  pour  out  libations  of  pure  water  and  oil  to  him,  honor  him 
that  he  may  at  least  regale  the  dead  by  letting  them  hear  the  sound 
of  his  magic  flute.  There  is  a  reference  here  to  some  rite  on  Tammuz 
day  —  which  was  also  a  time  of  commemorating  the  dead  in  general. 
Perhaps  the  six  lines  beginning  with  "Belili"  represent  a  Tammuz 
lamentation  of  which  we  have  quite  a  number. 

VOL.  I.— 16. 


THE  GREAT  AGE  OF  BABYLONIA 

(2100-1100  B.C.) 


MORAL  AND  PHILOSOPHICAL  TEXTS 


"  The  life  of  day  before  yesterday  has  departed  to-day" 

—  BABYLONIAN   PROVERB. 

Who  is  there  that  can  grasp  the  will  of  the  gods  in  heaven  f  " 

—  THE  BABYLONIAN  JOB. 


MORAL  AND  PHILOSOPHICAL  TEXTS 

(INTRODUCTION) 

WITH  these  texts  we  touch  the  true  spirit  of  Baby- 
lonian religion.  They  come  from  the  Assyrian  li- 
brary of  Ashur-banipal,  but  are  all  of  them  copies  of  Baby- 
lonian originals.  Their  spirit  is  earnestly  moral,  dignified, 
thoughtful,  but  not  highly  elevated,  deeply  searching,  or 
spiritually  beautiful  and  ennobling.  Eight  and  wrong  are 
quite  clearly  seen  and  defined.  The  god  Shamash,  who  in 
earlier  ages  had  been  simply  the  sun,  has  become  the  god  of 
justice ;  and  man  is  to  do  right  because  Shamash  will  reward 
him  on  this  earth.  In  other  words,  honesty  is  the  best  pol- 
icy. Higher  than  that  spirit  of  seeking  profit,  Babylonian 
thought  hardly  reached. 

From  this  statement  we  should,  perhaps,  except  the  final 
text  in  this  section,  the  "  Lament  of  the  Pious  Ruler," 
often  called  the  Babylonian  Job.  In  this  the  speaker,  an 
ancient  king,  insists  that  he  has  acted  rightly  all  his  life,  yet 
he  has  not  been  rewarded  by  the  gods.  He  sees,  like  Job  of 
the  Bible,  the  breakdown  of  the  too  earthbound  faith  that 
righteousness  brings  material  prosperity;  and  even  as  Job 
does,  he  resolutely  argues  the  case  with  his  god.  The  poem 
never  reaches  the  height  or  depth  of  Job's  lament ;  yet  it  is 
the  voice  of  a  thinker  both  keen  and  brave.  In  this  way, 
it  far  outranks  anything  else  Babylonian. 

An  Assyrian  commentary  on  this  poem  gives  the  name 
of  the  speaker,  the  ancient  king,  as  Tabi-utul-Enlil,  of  the 
Sumerian  city  of  Nippur.  The  composition  itself,  how- 
ever, seems  Babylonian  in  origin.  Tabi-utul-Enlil  may, 
therefore,  have  been  a  viceroy  of  Nippur  under  Babylon, 
or  he  may  have  been  a  merely  traditional  or  imaginary  mon- 
arch to  whom  a  later  poet  thought  the  lament  appropriate. 

245 


MORAL  AND  PHILOSOPHICAL  TEXTS 


BABYLONIAN  PROVERBS ^ 

A  hostile  act  thou  shalt  not  perform,  that  fear  of  ven- 
geance shall  not  consume  thee. 

Thou  shalt  not  do  evil,  that  life  eternal  thou  mayest  ob- 
tain. 

Does  a  woman  conceive  when  a  virgin,  or  grow  great 
without  eating? 

If  I  put  anything  down,  it  is  snatched  away ;  if  I  do 
more  than  is  expected,  who  wiU  repay  me  ? 

He  has  dug  a  well  where  no  water  is;  he  has  raised  a 
husk  without  kernel. 

Does  a  marsh  receive  the  price  of  its  reeds,  or  fields  the 
price  of  their  vegetation  ? 

The  strong  live  by  their  own  wages;  the  weak  by  the 
wages  of  their  children. 

He  is  altogether  good,  but  he  is  clothed  with  darkness. 

The  face  of  a  toiling  ox  thou  shalt  not  strike  with  a  goad. 

My  knees  go,  my  feet  are  unwearied;  but  a  fool  has  cut 
into  my  course. 

His  ass  I  am ;  I  am  harnessed  to  a  mule ;  a  wagon  I  draw ; 
to  seek  reeds  and  fodder  I  go  forth. 

The  life  of  day  before  yesterday  has  departed  to-day. 

If  the  husk  is  not  right,  the  kernel  is  not  right;  it  will 
not  produce  seed. 

The  tall  grain  thrives,  but  what  do  we  understand  of 
it?  The  meager  grain  thrives,  but  what  do  we  understand 
of  it? 

The  city  whose  weapons  are  not  strong  —  the  enemy  be- 
fore its  gates  shall  not  be  thrust  through. 

1  Reprinted  from  "  Archffiolo^  and  the  Bible,"  by  G.  A.  Barton,  by 
permission  of  the  publishers,  the  American  Stinday- School  Union. 

246 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  24:7 

If  thou  goest  and  takest  the  field  of  an  enemy,  the  enemy 
will  come  and  take  thy  field. 

Upon  a  glad  heart  oil  is  poured  out  of  which  no  one  knows. 

Friendship  is  for  the  day  of  trouble;  posterity  for  the 
future. 

An  ass  in  another  city  becomes  its  head. 

Writing  is  the  mother  of  eloquence  and  the  father  of 
artists. 

Be  gentle  to  thy  enemy  as  to  an  old  oven. 

The  gift  of  the  king  is  the  nobility  of  the  exalted;  the 
gift  of  the  king  is  the  favor  of  governors. 

Friendship  in  days  of  prosperity  is  servitude  forever. 

There  is  strife  where  servants  are;  slander  where  anoint- 
ers  anoint. 

When  thou  seest  the  gain  of  the  fear  of  God,  exalt  God 
and  bless  the  king. 


248  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


A  MOEALIST'S  COUNSEL 

Thou  shalt  not  slander  —  speak  what  is  pure ! 
Thou  shalt  not  speak  evil  —  speak  kindly ! 
He  who  slanders  and  speaks  evil, 
Shamash  ^  will  visit  recompense  on  his  head. 

Let  not  thy  mouth  boast  —  guard  thy  lip ! 

When  thou  art  angry,  do  not  speak  at  once ! 

If  thou  speakest  in  anger,  thou  wilt  repent  afterward, 

And  in  silence  sadden  thy  mind. 

Daily  approach  thy  God, 

With  offering  and  prayer  as  an  excellent  incense  I 

Before  thy  God  come  with  a  pure  heart, 

For  that  is  proper  toward  the  deity! 

Prayer,  petition,  and  prostration, 
Early  in  the  morning  shalt  thou  render  him; 
And  with  God's  help,  thou  wilt  prosper. 
In  thy  wisdom  learn  from  the  tablet.^ 

The  fear  of  God  begets  favor. 

Offering  enriches  life. 

And  prayer  brings  forgiveness  of  sin. 

He  who  fears  the  gods  will  not  cry  in  vain. 

He  who  fears  the  Anunnaki  will  lengthen  his  days. 
With  friend  and  companion  thou  shalt  not  speak  evil. 
Thou  shalt  not  say  low  things,  but  speak  kindness. 
If  thou  promisest,  give  what  thou  hast  promised. 


1  The  god  of  justice. 

2  We  would  say,  "  learn  from  your  books." 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  24^9 

Thou  shalt  not  in  tyranny  oppress  them, 
For  this  his  god  will  be  angry  with  him ; 
It  is  not  pleasing  to  Shamash  —  he  will  requite  him  with, 
evil. 

Give  food  to  eat,  wine  to  drink. 

Seek  what  is  right,  avoid  what  is  wrong. 

For  this  is  pleasing  to  his  god ; 

It  is  pleasing  to  Shamash  —  he  will  requite  him  with  mercy. 

Be  helpful,  be  kind  to  the  servant. 

The  maid  in  the  house  thou  shalt  protect. 


A  CODE  PAEALLELIIs^G  THE  "TEE" 
COMMANDMENTS  "  ^ 

Has  he  estranged  father  from  son  ? 

Has  he  estranged  son  from  father  ? 

Has  he  estranged  mother  from  daughter  ? 

Has  he  estranged  daughter  from  mother  ? 

Has  he  estranged  mother-in-law  from  daughter-in-law  ? 

Has  he  estranged  daughter-in-law  from  mother-in-law  ? 

Has  he  estranged  brother  from  brother  ? 

Has  he  estranged  friend  from  friend  ? 

Has  he  estranged  companion  from  companion  ?  ^ 

Has  he  not  released  a  prisoner,  has  he  not  loosened  the  bound 

one? 
Has  he  not  permitted  the  prisoner  to  see  the  light  ? 
Has  he  in  the  case  of  the  captive,  commanded,  "  Take  hold  of 

him,"  in  the  case  of  one  bound  said,  "  Bind  him !  "  ^ 
Is  it  a  sin  against  a  god,  a  transgression  against  a  goddess  ? 
Has  he  offended  a  god,  neglected  a  goddess  ? 

iThis  code  is  found  in  an  old  incantation-ritual.  The  ritual  asks 
why  the  suflFerer  has  been  afiaicted  with  bodily  pangs,  and  continues 
as  above.     The  translation  is  by  Prof.  M.  Jastrow. 

2  I.e.,  Has  he  sown  dissensions  among  the  members  of  a  family  or 
among  friends? 

3/.e.,  is  he  a  ruler  who  has  exercised  unnecessary  cruelty? 


250  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Was  his  sin  against  his  god ;  was  his  wrong  toward  his  god- 
dess? 

An  offense  against  his  ancestor/  hatred  toward  his  elder 
brother  ? 

Has  he  neglected  father  or  mother,  insulted  the  elder  sister  ? 

Given  too  little,  refused  the  larger  amount  ?  ^ 

For  "  no  "  said  "  yes,"  for  "  yes  "  said  "  no  "  ? 

Has  he  used  false  weights  ? 

Has  he  taken  the  wrong  sum,  not  taken  the  correct  amount  ?  ® 

Has  he  disinherited  the  legitimate  son ;  has  he  upheld  an  il- 
legitimate son  ? 

Has  he  dra^vn  a  false  boundary,  not  drawn  the  right  boun- 
dary ? 

Has  he  removed  the  limit,  mark,  or  boundary  ? 

Has  he  possessed  himself  '^  of  his  neighbor's  house  ? 

Has  he  shed  his  neighbor's  blood  ? 

Has  he  stolen  his  neighbor's  garment  ? 

Has  he  not  released  a  freedman  out  of  his  family  ? 

Has  he  divided  a  family  once  united  ? 

Has  he  set  himself  up  against  a  superior  ? 

Was  his  mouth  frank,  but  his  heart  false  ? 

Was  it  "  yes ''  with  hie  mouth,  but  "  no  "  with  his  heart  ? 


Has  he  taught  what  was  impure,  instructed  in  what  was  not 

proper  ? 
Did  he  follow  the  path  of  evil  ? 
Did  he  overstep  the  bounds  of  what  was  just  ? 

4  The  exact  meaning  of  the  word  used  is  not  known. 

5  I.e.,  Has  he  cheated  ? 

6 /.e.,  Has  he  defrauded? 
7  Literally,  "  entered." 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  251 


A  PENITENTIAL  PSALM 


The  heart  of  my  Lord  was  wroth :  to  his  place  may  he 

return. 
From  the  man  that  sinned  unknowingly,  to  his  place 

may  my  god  return. 
From  him  that  sinned  unknowingly,  to  her  place  may 

the  goddess  return. 
May  God  who  knoweth  that  he  knew  not,  to  his  place 

return. 
5  May  the  goddess  who  knoweth  that  he  knew  not,  to  her 

place  return. 
May  the  heart  of  my  god  to  his  place  return. 
May  the  heart  of  my  goddess  to  his  place  return. 
May  my  god  and  my  goddess  unto  their  place  return. 
May  god  unto  his  place  return. 
10  May  the  goddess  unto  her  place  return. 

The  transgression  that  I  committed,  my  god  knew  it. 
The  transgression  that  I  committed,  my  goddess  knew  it. 
The  holy  name  of  my  god  I  profaned. 
The  holy  name  of  my  goddess  I  profaned. 

[The  next  three  lines  are  obliterated.] 

The  waters  of  the  sea   (the  waters  of  my  tears)   do  I 

drink. 
That  which  was  forbidden  by  my  god  with  my  mouth  I 
ate. 
20  That  which  was  forbidden  by  my  goddess  in  my  igno- 
rance I  trampled  upon. 

OBVERSE 

O  my  Lord,  my  transgTession  is  great;  many  are  my 

sins. 
O  my  god,  my  transgression  is  great ;  my  sins  are  many. 


252  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

O  my  goddess,  my  transgression  is  great;  my  sins  are 
many. 

0  my  god,  that  knowest  that  I  knew  not,  my  transgres- 

sion is  great;  my  sins  are  many. 
25  O  my  goddess,  that  knowest  that  I  knew  not,  my  trans- 
gression is  great ;  my  sins  are  many. 
The  transgression  that  I  committed  I  knew  not. 
The  sin  that  I  sinned  I  knew  not. 
The  forbidden  thing  did  I  eat. 
The  forbidden  thing  did  I  trample  upon. 
30  My  Lord  in  the  wrath  of  his  heart  has  punished  me. 
God  in  the  strength  of  his  heart  has  overpowered  me. 
The  goddess  upon  me  has  laid  affliction  and  in  pain  has 

set  me. 
God  who  knew,  though  I  knew  not,  hath  pierced  me. 
The  goddess  who  knew,  though  I  knew  not,  hath  caused 
darkness. 
35  I  lay  on  the  ground  and  no  man  seized  me  by  the  hand. 

1  wept,  and  my  palms  none  took. 

II 

I  cried  aloud ;  there  was  none  that  would  hear  me. 
I  am  in  darkness  and  trouble :  I  lifted  not  myself  up. 
To  my  god  my  distress  I  referred ;  my  prayer  I  addressed. 
The  feet  of  my  goddess  I  embraced. 
5  To  my  god,  who  knew,  though  I  knew  not,  my  prayer  I 

addressed. 
To  my  goddess,  who  knew,  though  I  knew  not,  my  prayer 

I  addressed. 

[The  next  four  lines  are  lost,] 

How  long,  O  my  god,  shall  I  suffer  ? 
How  long,  O  my  goddess,  shall  I  suffer  ? 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  253 


THE  LAMENT  OE  THE  PIOUS  RULERS 

(THE  BABYLONIAN  JOB) 


l' 


My  eyeballs  he  obscured,  bolting  them  as  with  a  lock ; 

My  ears  he  bolted,  like  those  of  a  deaf  person. 

A  king  —  I  have  been  changed  into  a  slave, 

As  a  madman  my  companions  maltreat  me. 

Send  me  help  from  the  pit  dug  for  me ! 

At  the  cry  of  my  lament,  open  a  hole  for  him,^ 

By  day  —  deep  sighs,  at  night  —  weeping, 

The  month  —  cries,  the  year  —  distress. 

I  had  reached  and  passed  the  allotted  time  of  life; 
Whithersoever  I  turned  —  evil  upon  evil. 
Misery  had  increased,  justice  was  gone, 
I  cried  to  my  god,  but  he  did  not  show  me  his  countenance ; 
I  prayed  to  my  goddess,  but  she  did  not  raise  her  head. 
The  diviner-priest  could  not  determine  the  future  by  an  in- 
spection. 
The  necromancer  did  not  through  an  offering  justify  my  suit. 
The  zakiku'-priest  ^  I  appealed  to,  but  he  revealed  nothing, 

1  Reprinted,  by  permission  of  the  J.  B.  Lippineott  Co.,  from  "  The 
Civilization  of  Babylonia  and  Assyria,"  by  Prof.  M.  Jastrow. 

2  In  the  first  tablet,  beginning  with  the  praise  of  "  lord  of  wisdom  " 
—  originally  no  doubt  Enlil  of  Nippur,  but  transferred  in  the  course 
of  further  redaction  to  Marduk,  the  head  of  the  later  Babylonian 
pantheon,  we  have  a  description  of  the  evil  that  has  overwhelmed 
Tabi-utul-Enlil.     This  tablet  is  much  damaged. 

3  Meaning  "  himself." 

4  The  second  tablet  opens  with  a  reflection  on  the  sadness  of  life's 
experiences  and  the  difficulty  of  penetrating  the  ways  of  the  gods  to 
ascertain  how  to  please  them;  and,  as  in  the  case  of  Job,  the  reflec- 
tions are  interspersed  with  laments  about  his  own  forlorn  condition. 

5  An  oracle  priest. 


254  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

The  chief  exoroizer  did  not  by  his  rites  release  me  from  the 

ban. 
The  like  of  this  had  never  been  seen ; 
Whithersoever  I  turned,  trouble  was  in  pursuit.® 
As  though  I  had  not  always  set  aside  the  portion  for  the  god, 
And  had  not  invoked  the  goddess  at  the  meal, 
Had  not  bowed  my  face,  and  brought  my  tribute, 
As  though  I  were  one  in  whose  mouth  supplication  and 

prayer  were  not  constant, 
Who  had  set  aside  the  day  of  the  god,'^  neglected  the  new- 
moon  festival, 
Been  negligent,  spurned  their  images. 
Not  taught  his  people  fear  and  reverence, 
Not  invoked  his  god,  eaten  of  his  (the  god's)  food  f 
Neglected  his  goddess,  and  did  not  offer  to  her  a  libation. 
With  the  oppressor  who  has  forgotten  his  lord. 
Who  has  profaned  the  sacred  name  of  his  god,  am  I  rated. 
Whereas  I  thought  only  of  supplication  and  prayer ; 
Prayer  was  my  practise,  sacrificing  my  law. 
The  day  of  worship  of  the  gods  the  joy  of  my  heart. 
The  day  of  devotion  to  the  goddess  more  to  me  than  riches ; 
Royal  prayer  —  that  was  my  joy ; 
Its  celebration  —  my  delight. 
I  taught  my  country  to  guard  the  name  of  the  god. 
To  honor  the  name  of  the  goddess  I  accustomed  my  people. 
The  glorification  of  the  king  I  made  like  unto  that  of  a  god,® 
And  in  the  fear  of  the  palace  I  instructed  the  people. 
I  thought  that  such  things  were  pleasing  to  a  god.^*^ 

6  His  punishment  Beems  inexplicable  to  him,  as  he  proceeds  to  set 
forth  how  he  always  endeavored  to  perform  his  duties  toward  the 
gods  and  men  punctiliously. 

7  I.e.,  the  festival. 

8  Tabooed  food. 

0  Note  the  characteristically  Babylonian  view  of  the  king  as  de- 
manding homage,  only  second  to  that  accorded  to  the  gods. 

10  Despite  all  this,  the  pious  ruler  was  smitten  with  disease  and, 
accordingly,  he  indulges  in  the  gloomy  thought  that  the  ways  of  the 
gods  are  mysterious.  One  can  never  be  certain  of  pleasing  them. 
The  fate  of  man  is  uncertain.  Joy  changes  to  grief  suddenly,  and  ap- 
parently without  cause  or  reason. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  255 

What,  however,  seems  good  to  oneself,  to  a  god  is  displeasing. 

What  is  spurned  by  oneself  finds  favor  with  a  god ; 

Who  is  there  that  can  grasp  the  will  of  the  gods  in  heaven  ? 

The  plan  of  a  god  full  of  mystery  —  who  can  understand  it  ? 

How  can  mortals  learn  the  way  of  a  god  ? 

He  who  was  alive  yesterday  is  dead  to-day ; 

In  an  instant  he  is  cast  into  grief,  of  a  sudden  he  is  crushed ; 

Eor  a  moment  he  sings  and  plays, 

In  a  twinkling  he  wails  like  a  mourner. 

Like  opening  and  closing,^^  their  (mankind's)  spirit  changes ; 

If  they  are  hungry  they  are  like  a  corpse, 

Have  they  had  enough,  they  consider  themselves  equal  to  their 

god; 
If  things  go  well,  they  prate  of  mounting  to  heaven. 
If  they  are  in  distress,  they  speak  of  descending  into  Ir- 

kalla.i2 

An  evil  demon  has  come  out  of  his  lair ;  ^^ 

Erom  yellowish,  the  sickness  became  white.** 

It  *^  struck  my  neck  and  crushed  my  back, 

It  bent  my  high  stature  like  a  poplar ; 

Like  a  plant  of  the  marsh,  I  was  uprooted,  thrown  on  my 

back. 
Food  became  bitter  and  putrid, 
The  malady  dragged  on  its  course. 
Though  without  food,  hunger  diminished ; 
The  sap  of  my  blood  he  ^'^  drained. 
Nourishment  was  withheld  .  .  . 
My  flesh  was  wasted,  my  body  grew  wan. 
I  took  to  my  bed,  unable  to  leave  the  couch. 
The  house  became  my  prison ; 
As  fetters  for  my  body,  my  hands  were  powerless. 
As  pinions  for  my  person,  my  feet  were  stretched  out, 

11  Explained  in  the  commentary  "  like  day  and  night." 

12  One  of  the  names  of  the  netherworld. 

13  The  sufferer  here  reverts  to  his  sufferings  and  describes  how  the 
demons  of  disease  have  laid  him  low. 

14  The  color  of  his  skin,  at  first  yellow,  becomes  pale. 
IB  I.e.,  the  sickness. 

18  I.e.,  the  demon  of  disease. 


256  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

My  discomfiture  was  painful,  the  pain  severe. 

A  strap  of  many  twists  has  struck  me, 

A  sharply-pointed  spear  pierced  me. 

All  day  the  pursuer  followed  me. 

At  night  he  granted  me  no  respite  whatever, 

As  though  wrenched,  my  joints  were  torn  apart, 

My  limbs  were  shattered  and  rendered  helpless. 

In  my  stall  I  passed  the  night  like  an  ox, 

I  was  saturated  like  a  sheep  in  my  excrements ; 

The  disease  of  my  joints  baffled  the  chief  exorcizer. 

And  my  omens  were  obscure  to  the  diviner. 

The  exorcizer  could  not  interpret  the  character  of  my  disease, 

And  the  limit  of  my  malady  the  diviner  could  not  fix. 

No  god  came  to  my  aid,  taking  me  by  the  hand, 

ISTo  goddess  had  compassion  for  me,  coming  to  my  side.^' 

The  grave  was  open,  my  burial  prepared. 

Though  not  yet  dead,  the  lamentation  was  over. 

The  people  of  my  land  had  already  said  "  alas  "  over  me.^* 

My  enemy  heard  it  and  his  face  shone ; 

As  the  joyful  tidings  were  announced  to  him  his  liver  re- 
joiced, 

I  knew  it  was  the  day  when  my  whole  family, 

Eesting  under  the  protection  of  their  deity,  would  be  in  dis- 
tress.-^^ 

Ill  20 


He  sent  a  mighty  storm  to  the  foundation  of  heaven, 
To  the  depths  of  the  earth  he  drove  it. 

17  The  sufferer,  paralyzed,  bed-ridden,  totally  helpless,  blind,  deaf, 
unable  to  take  food,  racked  with  unceasing  pain,  was  thus  brought  to 
the  brink  of  despair. 

18  As  over  a  dead  person. 

19  All  hope  had  fled,  and  his  friends  and  family  already  mourned  him 
as  dead. 

20  The  third  tablet  beginning  "  His  hand  is  heavy,  I  can  no  longer 
endure  it"  (furnished  by  the  c6lophon  of  the  second  tablet),  evi- 
dently continued  the  plaint,  but  soon  passed  on  to  an  account  of  a 
dream  sent  to  the  sufferer  in  which  Ur-Bau,  described  as  "  a  strong 
hero  decked  with  a  crovsTi,"  appears  and  apparently  gives  him  a  reaa- 


THE  WALLS  OF  BABYLON  AND  THE  TEMPLE  OF 

BEL   (OR  BABEL). 

^is  restored  hy  Mr.  William,  Simpson,  R.I.,  from  recently 

discovered  data. 


IA7/  AVtT 


f.   yi^\  Sr^yoiS^.y^  v.t. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  257 

Ho  drove -back  the  evil  demon  into  the  abyss.^^ 

The  nameless  Utukku  he  drove  into  his  mountain  house. ^^ 

He  confounded  Labartu,  forcing  him  back  into  the  mountain. 

On  the  tide  of  the  sea  he  swept  away  the  ague.^^ 

He  tore  out  the  root  of  my  disease  like  a  plant. 

The  bad  sleep,^^  disturbing  my  rest,  filled  and  darkening  the 

heavens  as  with  smoke. 
The  aches  and  groans  like  those  of  a  lion, 
He  stirred  up  as  in  a  storm  and  filled  the  earth. 
The  violent  headache,  which  overthrows  the  strong, 
He  tore  out  .  .  .  and  bathed  me  with  the  dew  of  the  night. 
My  eyeballs,  which  were  covered  with  a  veil  of  night,^^ 
Through  a  mighty  wind  he  drove  away  the  veil  and  made 

them  shine  brilliantly. 
My  ears,  which  had  been  closed  and  bolted  as  those  of  a  deaf 

person. 
He  removed  their  deafness  and  opened  their  hearing. 
My  nose,  which  through  the  force  of  the  fever  was  choked  up. 
He  healed  the  hurt  so  that  I  could  breathe  again. 
My  lips,  which  had  been  closed  through  exhausted  strength,^** 
He  reduced  their  swelling  and  loosened  their  bonds. 

suring  message  from  Marduk  that  he  will  be  released  from  his  suf- 
ferings. It  is  to  be  regretted  that  this  portion  of  the  composition  is 
so  badly  preserved,  for  it  must  have  contained  the  reason  why  Mar- 
duk decided  to  come  to  the  relief  of  the  pious  sufferer.  We  are  left 
to  conjecture  why,  but  it  is  plausible  to  assume  that  Marduk  is  seized 
with  pity  and  recognizes  that  Tabi-utul-Enlil  did  not  merit  the  pun- 
ishment sent  to  him.  Perhaps  it  was  even  suggested  that  the  suffer- 
ings were  sent  as  a  trial  of  his  piety,  though  this  in  default  of  direct 
avidence  must  not  be  regarded  as  more  than  a  conjecture.  At  all 
events,  Tabi-utul-Enlil  is  healed,  and  we  are  given  a  vivid  picture  of 
how,  as  a  result  of  his  final  appeal  to  Marduk,  the  demons  of  disease 
are  driven  away  by  a  mighty  storm. 

21  Apsu  —  here  perhaps  intended  as  a  designation  of  the  depths  of 
the  earth  whence  the  demons  rise  up. 

22  Literally,  "  his  E-Kur  " —  here  a  designation  of  the  dwelling-place 
«f  the  demons  in  the  mountains. 

28  Shuruppu,  "  chills  and  fever,"  here  personified,  as  were  all  dis- 
eases. 

2*  I.e.,  the  nightmare,  also  personified  as  a  demon. 

25  Cataract  is  meant. 

26  He  was  no  longer  able  to  open  his  mouth. 

VOL.  I.— 17. 


^58  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

My  mouth,  which  had  been  covered,  so  that  with  difficulty  I 

uttered  sounds, 
He  purified,  like  copper  he  made  it  shine. 
My  teeth,  which  had  been  seized  so  that  they  were  pressed 

together,^'^ 
He  opened  a  space  between  them  and  strengthened  their 

base.^^ 
The  tongue,  which  was  swollen  so  that  I  could  not  move  it. 
He  took  away  its  coating  so  that  speech  returned. 
The  throat,  which  was  compressed,  closed  up  like  that  of  a 

corpse. 
He  healed  so  that  my  breast  resounded  like  a  flute. 
My  spittle,  which  had  been  shut  off  so  that  it  could  not  come 

forth,29 
He  loosened  the  bonds,  opening  them  like  a  door. 


To  the  opulent  ^^  who  had  been  reduced  to  starvation,  en- 
chained like  a  guilty  one, 

He  brought  food  and  provided  drink. 

My  neck,  which  had  been  twisted  and  bent  low, 

He  made  erect  and  like  a  cedar  raised  up. 

He  made  my  stature  like  one  of  perfect  strength, 

Like  one  released  from  a  demon,  he  polished  my  nails. 

He  cured  me  of  scurvy,  healed  me  of  the  itch. 

My  knees,  that  had  been  fettered  like  those  of  a  bird  of  the 
gorge,3i 


My  entire  body  he  restored, 

He  wiped  away  the  blemish,  making  it  ^^  resplendent, 

The  oppressed  stature  regained  its  splendor, 

27  The  teeth  were  pressed  together  as  in  lockjaw. 

28  I.e.,  fixed  them  firm  in  their  sockets. 

29  Like  Job,  he  was  unable  to  swallow  or  spit  out  the  saliva. 

30  Though  a  king  with  all  things  at  his  command,  he  is  wasted  like 
one  dying  of  famine,  since  he  could  not  eat  nor  drink. 

81  I.e.,  he  could  not  walk. 
82 /.e.,  the  body. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  259 

On  the  banks  of  the  stream  where  judgment  is  held  over 

men^^ 
The  brand  of  slavery  was  removed,  the  fetters  taken  off. 
Let  him  who  sins  against  E-sagila,^^  let  him  learn  from  me, 
Into  the  jaw  of  the  lion,  about  to  devour  me,  Marduk  inserted 

a  bit. 
Marduk  has  seized  the  snare  of  my  pursuer,  has  encompassed 

his  lair.^^ 

33  Referring  to  a  ceremony  of  cleansing  from  sin  by  immersion  into 
a  stream. 

34  The  name  of  Marduk's  temple  at  Babylon,  here  used  for  the  god. 
85  In   this   strain   no   doubt   the   poem    continued   to   the   close  —  in 

illustration  of  the  lesson  to  be  derived  from  Tabi-utul-Enlil's  terrible 
yet  marvelous  experience.  Like  the  Biblical  poem,  detailing  Job's 
suflferings  and  the  discourse  of  the  problem  involved,  our  composition 
ends  in  a  kind  of  non  sequitur.  The  problem  is  not  solved,  at  least 
not  to  our  satisfaction,  for  the  just  and  innocent  continue  to  suffer. 
The  consolation,  however,  remains  that  the  mercy  of  the  gods  in  the 
end  never  fails.  Even  though  one  may  be  already  in  the  jaws  of 
death,  a  god  if  he  be  so  inclined  as  was  Marduk  or  as  was  Enlil.  the 
god  of  Nippur,  in  the  original  form  of  the  story,  can  still  save  one. 
Though  diviners  and  exorcizers  fail,  Marduk  can  intervene  directly 
and  restore  the  wasted  body  to  perfect  vigor.  So  all  ends  happily  — 
at  least  for  Tabi-utul-Enlil. 


THE  GREAT  AGE  OF  BABYLONIA 
(2100-1100  B.C.) 


THE  TEL-EL-AMARNA  LETTERS 


"The  Babylonian  tongue  was  used  as  the  means  of  communi- 
cation among  different  nations,  even  by  the  distant  and  powerful 
Egyptians." 


THE  TEL-EL-AMARNA  LETTERS 

(INTRODUCTION) 

THE  Tel-el-Amarna  letters  form  one  of  the  most  aston- 
ishing discoveries  and  revelations  in  our  searching  of 
the  past.  Tel-el-Amama  is  in  Egypt,  and  a  peasant  woman 
delving  there  in  the  sand  in  1888  found  a  mass  of  over  three 
hundred  tablets  stored  in  ancient  boxes.  She  and  her  people 
tried  to  sell  these  singly  and  surreptitiously.  Nothing  like 
them  had  ever  been  found  in  Egypt  before ;  and  scientists  at 
first  glance  took  them  for  forgeries.  Many  were  thus  lost  or 
broken,  before  their  value  was  discovered. 

Finally,  the  surprising  truth  was  realized.  These  tablets, 
found  in  Egypt  but  written  in  the  Babylonian  tongue,  were  a 
collection  of  letters  from  foreign  potentates,  the  carefully 
preserved  diplomatic  correspondence  of  the  Egyptian  court 
of  about  1400  b.c.  The  Babylonian  tongue  had  become  so 
widely  known  that  it  was  used  as  the  means  of  communica- 
tion among  different  nations,  even  by  the  distant  and  power- 
ful Egyptians. 

While  these  letters  belong  historically  to  Egypt  rather  than 
to  Babylonia,  they  include  the  letters  of  a  king  of  Babylon, 
Kadash-man-Kharbe,  and  of  an  early  king  of  Assyria,  Ash- 
uruballit.  Chiefly,  however,  they  are  letters  from  Syria  and 
Palestine.  These  regions  were  then  subject  to  Egypt,  but  in 
constant  upheaval ;  and  the  letters  tell  of  war  and  treachery, 
of  Hittite  invasions  and  Amorite  rebellions.  There  are  also 
a  number  of  letters  from  the  governor  of  Jerusalem;  not  a 
Hebrew  Jerusalem,  for  this  was  long  before  the  days  of 
David's  capture  of  the  city,  but  a  Canaanite  Jerusalem,  a 
strong  "  city  on  a  height,"  which  had  been  conquered  by  the 
Egyptians  and  entrusted  to  an  appointed  ruler,  Abdikheba. 

Another  name,  of  even  stronger  Biblical  interest,  which 

appears  frequently  in  these  letters,  is  that  of  the  Khabiri,  a 

263 


264  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

wandering  tribe  or  nomadic  nation  with  their  flocks.  The 
word  in  its  Babylonian  spelling  is  almost  identical  with  the 
word  "  Hebrew."  So  that,  while  we  have  no  positive  proof 
of  the  fact,  the  Khabiri  may  well  be  the  descendants  of  Abra- 
ham. This  subject  has  been  much  discussed  of  recent  years. 
The  date  of  these  letters  is  of  the  period  of  the  Israelite  cap- 
tivity in  Egypt,  and  as  the  Khabiri  at  this  time  were  already 
in  Palestine,  they  can  not  be  the  descendants  of  Joseph  and 
his  brethren,  the  future  followers  of  Moses  into  this  prom- 
ised land.  The  Khabiri  would,  therefore,  represent  such 
Hebrews  as  had  not  journeyed  into  Egypt,  possibly  the  de- 
scendants of  Lot,  the  future  Moabites,  or  of  Esau,  or  more 
probably  the  unnoted  descendants  of  Jacob's  first  wife,  "  the 
tribes  of  Leah." 


THE  TEL-EL-AMARNA  LETTERS 


THE  HITTITE  INVASION  OF  DAMASCUS 

No.  36  Bw  M. —  "  To  King  Annumuria  ^  (Amenophis 
III.)  Son  of  the  Sun,  my  lord,  thus  says  this  thy  servant 
Akizzi.^  Seven  times  at  the  feet  of  my  lord  I  bow.  My 
lord,  in  these  my  lands,  I  am  afraid.  Mayst  thou  protect  one 
who  is  thy  servant  under  the  yoke  of  my  lord.  From  the 
yoke  of  my  lord  I  do  not  rebel.  Lo !  there  is  fear  of  my  foes. 
The  people  of  this  thy  servant  are  under  thy  yoke :  this  coun- 
try is  among  thy  lands ;  the  city  Katna  ^  is  thy  city :  I  am  on 
the  side  of  my  lord's  rule  (yoke).  Lo!  the  soldiers  and  the 
chariots  of  my  lord's  government  have  received  com  and 
drink,  oil  and  honey,  oxen  and  beasts,  meeting  the  soldiers 
and  the  chariots  of  my  lord's  dominion  coming  to  me.  And 
now  let  my  lord  ask  the  great  men  of  his  dominion.  My  lord, 
all  lands  tremble  before  thy  soldiers  and  thy  chariots.  If 
these  lands  are  under  the  dominion  of  my  lord's  land,  and 
they  are  seizing  them,  let  him  order  his  soldiers  and  his 
chariots  this  year,  and  let  him  take  the  land  of  Marhasse,'* 
the  whole  of  it,  to  the  yoke  of  my  lord,  when  —  my  lord  — 
the  soldiers  of  the  slaves^  are  .  .  .  For  six  days  ago  he 
went  out  into  the  land  of  Huba,  and  truly  Azini  is  sending 

1  This  name,  frequently  found  in  the  letters,  is  the  Egyptian  "  Neb- 
mat-ra,"  or  Amenophis  III. 

2  As  the  Amorite  "  z "  or  "  s' "  seems  sometimes  to  represent  the 
Hebrew  "  sh,"  this  name  might  be  compared  with  the  Philistine 
"  Achish." 

3  Katna  is  the  present  Katanah,  on  the  south  of  Hermon,  west  of 
Damascus. 

4  Others  read  "  Nuhasse."  It  was  a  Hittite  country,  and  appears 
to  be  that  of  Mer'ash,  under  the  Taurus,  where  a  number  of  important 
Hittite  remains  are  found   (see  especially  B.  31,  32). 

5  Throughout  the  letters  the  enemy  is  always  called  a  "  slave,"  a 
"  slave  dog,"  or  "  son  of  a  dog,"  as  also  in  Egyptian  texts. 

265 


oee  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

them,  and  if  in  this  year  my  lord  does  not  send  out  the  sol- 
diers and  the  chariots  of  his  government  ...  to  meet  Aziru 
and  make  him  flee  ...  all  will  rebel  .  .  .  My  Lord,  know 
him.  My  lord,  know  the  men  who  are  his  foes  .  .  .  And 
lo!  now  the  King  of  the  land  of  the  Hittites  .  ,  .  with 
pride  rebels  against  his  gods.  And  men  who  are  destroyers 
serve  the  King  of  the  land  of  the  Hittites:  he  sends  them 
forth.  My  lord,  my  servants,  the  men  of  the  city  of  Katna, 
Aziru  expels,  and  all  that  is  theirs,  out  of  the  land  of  the 
dominion  of  my  lord ;  and  behold  he  takes  the  northern  lands 
of  the  dominion  of  my  lord.  Let  my  lord  save  the  ...  of 
the  men  of  the  city  Katna.  My  lord,  truly  they  made  .  .  . 
he  steals  their  gold,  my  lord ;  as  has  been  said,  there  is  fear, 
and  truly  they  give  gold.  My  lord  —  Sun-god,  my  fathers' 
god  ®  —  the  men  have  made  themselves  your  foes,  and  they 
have  wasted  from  over  against  the  abode  of  their  camp  (or 
fortress)  ;  and  now  behold  —  O  Sun-god  of  my  fathers  — 
the  King  of  the  Hittites  makes  them  march.  And  know  of 
them,  my  lord  —  may  the  gods  make  slack  their  hand.  As 
has  been  said,  there  is  fear.  And  lo !  perchance  the  Sun-god 
of  my  fathers  will  turn  his  heart  toward  me.  My  lord's 
word  is  sure,  and  let  the  increase  or  tithe  of  gold  be  given 
him,  as  we  have  purposed  for  the  Sun-god  of  my  fathers.  As 
has  been  said,  they  have  done  to  me ;  and  they  have  destroyed 
the  ...  of  my  lord.  For  this  corner  —  the  dwelling  of 
their  fortress  —  is  out  of  sight  of  the  Sun-god." 

37  B.  M. —  "  To  King  Annumuria,  Son  of  the  Sun,  my 
lord,  thus  says  Akizzi,  thy  servant:  seven  times  ...  at  the 
feet  of  my  lord  I  bow." 

[This  text  is  much  damaged;  it  goes  on  to  speak  of  Aidu- 
gama,  "^  the  Hittite  King,  in  the  country  of  the  King  of 

6  This  appears,  as  throughout  the  letters,  to  apply  to  the  King  of 
Egypt.  All  the  Egyptian  kings  were  regarded  as  descendants  of  gods, 
and  are  so  addressed  in  Egyptian  records. 

7  "  Aidugama "  docs  not  appear  to  be  a  Semitic  name,  but,  as  we 
should  expect  in  Hittite,  it  is  Mongol,  and  compares  with  "  Akkadian," 
as  meaning  "  the  victorious  lord."  He  is  called  "  Edagama  "  by  the 
King  of  Tyre  ( B.  M.  30),  who  mentions  his  fighting  with  Neboyapiza, 
and  Aziru's  also. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  267 

Egypt,  who  has  taken  various  things  —  enumerated,  but  not 
intelligible  —  including,  perhaps,  ships  or  boats,  and  dwell- 
ings ;  and  it  mentions  Neboyapiza.     It  then  continues :] 

"  My  Lord :  Teuiatti  of  the  city  of  Lapana,^  and  Arzuia 
of  the  city  Ruhizzi,*  minister  before  Aidugama;  but  this 
land  is  the  land  of  the  dominion  of  my  lord.  He  is  burning 
it  with  fire.  My  lord,  as  said,  I  am  on  the  side  of  the  King 
my  lord.  I  am  afraid  also  because  of  the  King  of  the  land 
of  Marhasse,  and  the  King  of  the  land  of  Ni,  and  the  King 
of  the  land  of  Zinzaar,  and  the  King  of  the  land  of  Canaan. 
And  all  of  these  are  kings  under  the  dominion  of  my  lord  — 
chiefs  who  are  servants.  As  said,  let  the  King  my  lord  live 
and  become  mighty,  and  so,  O  King  my  lord,  wilt  not  thou 
go  forth  ?  and  let  the  King  my  lord  dispatch  the  hitati  sol- 
diers, let  them  expel  them  from  this  land.  As  said,  my  lord, 
these  kings  have  .  .  .  the  chief  of  my  lord's  government, 
and  let  him  say  what  they  are  to  do,  and  let  them  be  con- 
firmed. Because,  my  lord,  this  land  ministers  heartily  to  the 
King  my  lord.  And  let  him  speed  soldiers,  and  let  them 
march;  and  let  the  messengers  of  the  dominion  of  the  King 
my  lord  arrive.  For  my  Lord  Arzuia  of  the  city  Ruhizzi, 
and  Teuiatti  of  the  city  Lapana,  dwelt  in  the  land  of  Huba,^*^ 
and  Dasru  dwelt  in  the  land  Amma,^^  and  truly  my  lord  has 
known  them.  Behold  the  land  of  Hobah  was  at  peace,  my 
lord,  in  the  days  of  this  government.  They  will  be  subject 
to  Aidugama.  Because  we  ask,  march  thou  here  and  mayest 
...  all  the  land  of  Hobah.  My  lord,  as  said,  the  city  of 
Timasgi,^^  in  the  land  of  Hobah,  is  without  sin  at  thy  feet ; 
and  aid  thou  the  city  Katna,  which  is  without  sin  at  thy  feet. 

8  Probably  Lapana  18  Lybo,  now  Lebweh,  north  of  Baalbek. 
»  Probably  R'aith    (or  R'ais),  on  the  east  side  of  the  Buka'ah  plain, 
east  of  Zahleh,  on  the  way  from  the  Hittite  country. 

10  Huba  is  identified  by  Dr.  Bezold  with  the  land  of  Hobah  ( Gen. 
xiv.  15),  which  was  at  the  "entering  in"  north  of  Damascus.  The 
"  entering  in  "  here  and  at  Hamath  means  a  pass  between  hills  leading 
to  the  city. 

11  The  land  of  Am  or  Amma,  several  times  mentioned,  appears  to  be 
the  Old  Testament  land  of  Ham,  in  northern  Bashan,  near  Damascus 
(Gen.  xiv.  5). 

12  Damascus. 


268  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

It  has  beeu  feeble.  And  my  lord  in  presence  of  my  messen- 
ger the  master  shall  ordain  onr  fate.  As  has  been  said,  have 
not  I  served  in  the  presence  of  the  hitati  soldiers  of  my  lord  ? 
Behold,  as  said,  my  lord  has  promised  soldiers  to  this  my 
land,  and  they  shall  ...  in  the  city  Katna." 

142  B. —  "  To  the  King  my  lord,  thus  saith  this  thy  ser- 
vant. At  the  feet  of  my  lord  my  Sun,  seven  times  on  my 
face,  seven  times  I  bow.  My  lord,  I  am  thy  servant,  and 
they  will  devour  me  —  Neboyapiza :  we  abide  before  thy  face, 
my  lord,  and  lo !  they  will  devour  me  in  your  sight.  Behold 
every  fortress  of  my  fathers  is  taken,  by  the  people  out  of  the 
city  Gidisi.^^  And  my  fortresses  say,  '  Speed  us  avengers.' 
I  make  ready,  and  because  that  the  Pahas  ^^  of  the  King  my 
lord,  and  the  chiefs  of  his  land  have  kno\vn  my  faithfulness, 
behold  I  complain  to  the  ruler  being  one  approved;  let  the 
ruler  consider  that  Neboyapiza  has  given  proof  .  .  .  for 
now  they  have  cast  thee  out.  As  for  me  I  have  gathered  all 
my  brethren,  and  we  have  made  the  place  strong  for  the  King 
my  lord.  I  have  caused  them  to  march  with  my  soldiers  and 
with  my  chariots,  and  with  all  my  people.  And  behold 
Neboyapiza  has  sped  to  all  the  fortresses  of  the  King  my  lord. 
Part  of  the  men  of  blood  are  from  the  land  Ammusi,  and 
part  from  the  land  of  Hubi,  and  it  is  won  (or  reached).  But 
march  fast,  thou  who  art  a  God  ^^  and  a  Sun  in  my  sight,  and 
restore  the  strongholds  to  the  King  my  lord  from  the  men  of 
blood.  For  thev  have  cast  him  out;  and  the  men  of  blood 
have  rebelled,  and  are  invaders  of  the  King  my  lord.  We 
were  obedient  to  thy  yoke,  and  they  have  cast  out  the  King 
my  lord,  and  all  my  brethren." 

[189  B,  is  much  broken.  It  is  from  Arzana,  chief  of  the 
city  Khazi.^^     He  speaks  of  an  attack  on  Tusulti,  by  bloody 

13  Gidisi,  or  Cidisi,  ig  apparently  Kadesh  of  the  Hittitea  —  now 
Kades  on  the  Orontes  —  north  of  the  city  of  Neboyapiza. 

14  Paka  is  one  of  the  words  used  to  designate  Egyptian  residents  or 
generals. 

^•'  Elohim  is  in  the  plural,  as  several  scholars  have  remarked.  It 
often  applies  to  the  King  of  Egypt. 

i"  Khazi  is  evidently  Ghazzeh,  near  the  south  end  of  the  Baalbek 
plain,  south  of  the  Damascus  road. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  269 

soldiers  fighting  against  the  place,  and  perhaps  of  the  city  Bel 
Gidda  (Baal  Gad),  and  mentions  a  Paha,  or  Egyptian  offi- 
cial, called  Aman  Khatbi,  named  after  the  Egyptian  god 
Amen.  The  foes  are  spoiling  the  valley  of  Baalbek  in  sight 
of  the  Egyptian  general,  and  are  attacking  Khazi,  his  city. 
They  had  already  taken  Maguzi,  and  are  spoiling  Baal  Gad. 
It  seems  that  he  asks  the  King  not  to  blame  his  general,  and 
speaks  finally  of  friendly  and  faithful  men.] 

[43  B.  M.,  broken  at  the  top,  reads  thus :] 

".  .  .  his  horses  and  his  chariots  ...  to  men  of  blood 
and  not  ...  As  for  me,  I  declare  myself  for  the  King  my 
lord,  and  a  servant  to  preserve  these  to  the  King  entirely. 
Biridasia  perceives  this,  and  has  betrayed  it,  and  he  has 
secretly  passed  beyond  my  city  Maramma ;  "  and  the  great 
pass  is  open  behind  me.  And  he  is  marching  chariots  from 
the  city  Astarti,  and  commands  them  for  the  men  of  blood, 
and  does  not  command  them  for  the  King  my  lord.  Friendly 
to  him  is  the  King  of  the  city  Buzruna ;  and  the  King  of  the 
city  of  Khalavunni  ^^  has  made  promises  to  him :  both  have 
fought  with  Biridasia  against  me.  Wickedly  they  vex  us. 
I  have  marched  our  kinsmen  —  the  people  of  Neboyapiza  — 
but  his  success  never  fails  .  .  .  and  he  rebels.  As  for  me 
from  .  .  .  and  he  sends  out  from  ...  the  city  Dimasca 
(Damascus)  behold  .  .  .  they  complain  .  .  .  they  afflict. 
I  am  complaining  to  the  King  of  Egypt  as  a  servant;  and 
Arzaiaia  is  marching  to  the  city  Gizza,^^  and  Aziru  takes  sol- 
diers. .  .  .  The  lord  of  the  city  Saddu  ^o  declares  for  the  men 

17  May  be  read  "  Yanuamma."  It  seems  to  be  M'araba,  north  of 
Damascus,  which  agrees  with  the  context.  The  great  pass  mentioned 
here  in  connection  with  Damascus  was  apparently  that  by  which  the 
main  road  from  the  west  came  down  the  Barada  at  Abila.  This  is  the 
"entering  in"  to  Damascus,  which  (Gen.  xiv.  15)  was  in  the  land  of 
Hobah. 

18  Khalavunni,  or  Halabunni,  is  the  Helbon  of  the  Bible  (Ezek. 
xxvii.  18),  now  Helbon,  north  of  Damascus,  and  five  miles  north  of 
the  middle  of  the  pass. 

19  Gizza  is  perhaps  the  important  town  Jezzin,  in  the  Lebanon,  south- 
west of  Kamid,  unless  it  be  Jizeh,  in  Bashan,  between  Edrei  and 
Bozrah. 

20  Saddu  is  perhaps  Nebi  Shit,  south  of  Baalbek,  or  possibly,  though 


270  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

of  blood,  and  her  chief  does  not  declare  for  the  King  my  lord ; 
and  as  far  as  this  tribe  marches  it  has  afflicted  the  land  of 
Gizza.  Arzaiaia  with  Biridasia  afflicts  the  land,  which  is 
wretched  (or  Abitu),  and  the  King  witnesses  the  division  of 
his  land.  Let  not  men  who  have  been  hired  disturb  her. 
Lo!  my  brethren  have  fought  for  me.  As  for  me,  I  will 
guard  the  town  of  Cumidi  (Kamid),  the  city  of  the  King  my 
lord.  But  truly  the  King  forgets  his  servant  .  .  .  his  ser- 
vant, O  King  .  .  .  have  arrayed  kings  .  .  .  the  men  of  the 
wretched  land  (Ahitu).^^ 

152  B. — ".  .  .  thus  Ara,  chief  of  the  city  Cumidi  ^* 
(Kamid)  ...  at  the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord  seven  times 
seven  times  I  bow.  Behold  as  to  me  I  am  thy  faithful  ser- 
vant :  let  the  King  my  lord  ask  of  his  Pakas  (chiefs)  as  to  me, 
a  faithful  servant  of  the  King  my  lord,  one  whom  they  have 
ruined.  Truly  I  am  a  faithful  servant  of  the  King  my  lord, 
and  let  the  King  my  lord  excuse  this  dog,  and  let  him  bear  me 
in  remembrance.  But  never  a  horse  and  never  a  chariot  is 
mine,  and  let  this  be  considered  in  sight  of  the  King  my  lord ; 
and  closely  allied  ^^  is  his  servant ;  and  to  explain  this  I  am 
dispatching  my  son  to  the  land  of  the  King  my  lord,  and  let 
the  King  my  lord  deign  to  hear  me." 

46  B.  M. —  "  At  the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord  seven  and 
seven  times  I  bow.  Behold  what  this  our  saying  tells,  as  to 
the  land  Am  (Ham)  the  fortresses  of  the  King  my  lord.  A 
man  named  Eda  .  .  .  has  arisen,  a  chief  of  the  land  Cinza, 
east  of  the  land  of  the  Hittites,  to  take  the  fortresses  of  the 
King  my  lord  .  .  .  and  we  made  the  fortresses  for  the  King 
my  lord,  my  God,  my  Sun,  and  we  have  lived  in  the  fortresses 
of  the  King  my  lord." 

125  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord  thus  Arzaiaia,  chief  of  the 
city  Mikhiza."     At  the  feet  of  my  lord  I  bow.     King  my 

leas    probably,    Sh'ait,    south    of    Kamid,    on    the    southwest    slope    of 
Hermon. 

21  Cumidi,  or  Kamid,  was  important  as  a  central  station  between 
Damascus  and  the  coast  cities  of  Sidon  and  Beirut. 

22  Or,  perhaps,  "  hard-pressed." 

2»  Mikhiza,  perhaps  the  same  as  Maguzi,  written  by  another  scribe  — 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  271 

lord,  I  have  heard  as  to  going  to  meet  the  Egyptian  hitati  sol- 
diers of  the  King  my  lord  who  are  with  us,  to  meet  the  gen- 
eral (Paka)  with  all  the  infantry  ...  all  who  have 
marched  to  overthrow  the  King  my  lord.  Truly  a  great 
strength  to  the  people  are  the  Egyptian  bitati  soldiers  of  the 
King  my  lord,  and  his  commander  {Paka).  As  for  me,  do  1 
not  order  all  to  .  .  .  after  them  ?  Behold  they  have  been 
speedy,  O  King  my  lord,  and  his  foes  are  delayed  by  them  by 
the  hand  of  the  King  my  lord." 

171  B. — "  A  message  and  information  from  the  servant  of 
the  King  my  lord,  my  God.  .  .  .  And  behold  what  the  chief 
of  Simyra  has  done  to  my  brethren  of  the  city  of  Tubaklii  f^ 
and  he  marches  to  waste  the  fortresses  of  the  King  my  lord, 
my  God,  my  Sun  .  .  .  the  land  of  the  Amorites.  He  has 
wearied  out  our  chiefs.  The  fortresses  of  the  King  my  lord, 
my  God,  .  .  .  are  for  men  of  blood.  And  now  strong  is  the 
god  of  the  King,  my  lord,  my  God,  my  Sun ;  and  the  city  of 
Tubakhi  goes  forth  to  war,  and  I  have  stirred  up  my  breth- 
ren, and  I  guard  the  city  of  Tubakhi  for  the  King  my  lord, 
my  God,  my  Sun.  And  behold  this  city  of  Tubakhi  is  the 
city  of  the  plains  of  my  fathers." 

132  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord  by  letter,  thus  says  Arta- 
bania,  chief  of  the  city  Ziribasani  ^^  thy  servant.  At  the  feet 
of  the  King  my  lord  seven  times,  on  my  face,  seven  times  I 
bow.  Behold  a  message  to  me  to  speed  to  meet  the  Egyptian 
bitati  soldiers.  And  who  am  I  but  a  dog  only,  and  shall  I  not 
march  ?  Behold  me,  with  my  soldiers  and  my  chariots,  meet- 
ing the  Egyptian  soldiers  at  the  place  of  which  the  King  my 
lord  speaks." 

the  modern  Mekseh,  aa  given  above.  "  Magnzi "  might  be  otherwise 
transliterated  as  "  Mukhzi/' 

24  Tubakhi  is  the  Tabukhai  of  the  "Travels  of  an  Egyptian,"  in  the 
reign  of  Ramses  II.  (Chabas,  p.  313),  mentioned  with  Kadesh  on 
Orontes,  and  is  the  Tibhath  of  the  Bible  (1  Chron.  xviii.  8),  otherwise 
Berothai. 

25  Dr.  Sayce  calls  this  "  the  fields  of  Bashan  " ;  probably,  when  taken 
with  the  next  letters,  we  may  place  the  site  at  Zora,  in  Bashan,  now 
Ezra.  De  Roug6  and  Mariette  showed  that  Thothmes  III.  conquered 
Bashan. 


272  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

78  B.  M. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  thus  the  chief  of  the 
city  Gubbu,^"  thy  servant.  At  the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord, 
my  Sun,  permit  that  seven  times,  on  my  face,  seven  times  I 
bow.  Thou  hast  sent  as  to  going  to  meet  the  Egyptian  sol- 
diers, and  now  I  with  my  soldiers  and  my  chariots  meet  the 
soldiers  of  the  King  my  lord,  at  the  place  you  march  to." 

64  B.  M. — "  To  Yankhamu  ^''  my  lord  by  letter,  thus  Muu- 
taddu,  thy  servant.  I  bow  at  my  lord's  feet  as  this  says, 
announcing  that  the  enemy  is  hastening  speedily  as  —  my 
lord  —  was  announced  to  the  King  of  the  city  Bikhisi  ^^ 
from  friends  ^^  of  his  lord.  Let  the  King  my  lord  speed :  let 
the  King  my  lord  fly :  for  the  foe  is  wasting  in  the  city  Bik- 
hisi this  two  months,  there  is  none  .  .  .  On  account  of  Bibelu 
having  told  me  this  one  has  asked  them  .  .  .  until  by  the 
arrival  of  Anamarut  (Amenophis  IV.)  ^^  the  city  of  Ash- 
to^eth  is  occupied. ^^  Behold  they  have  destroyed  all  the  for- 
tresses of  neighboring  lands:   the  city  Udumu,^^   the  city 

26  Gubbu  is  perhaps  Jubbata,  on  the  south  side  of  Hermon,  near  the 
places  mentioned  in  the  next  letter. 

27  Yankhamu,  an  Egyptian  commander,  appears  in  these  letters  in 
all  parts  of  the  country,  from  the  extreme  south  to  the  north,  and  in 
Phenicia  as  well  as  in  Bashan.     His  name  does  not  seem  to  be  Semitic. 

28  This  letter  does  not  say  who  the  enemies  were  or  in  which  direction 
they  advanced.  Perhaps  Bikhisi  may  be  regarded  as  the  present  'Ab- 
baseh  (by  inversion  of  the  guttural),  which  is  fifteen  miles  southwest 
of  Damascus,  near  the  main  road  to  the  town  of  Jabesh,  whence  the 
letter  comes. 

20  The  word  rahizi,  which  is  here  made  equivalent  to  zukini,  gives 
great  difficulty.  In  Hebrew  the  root  means  "to  rest,"  and  the  word  is 
still  applied  in  Palestine  to  resting  of  flocks.  Zukini  appears,  as  Dr. 
Bezold  points  out,  to  be  the  same  as  the  Phenician  word  Soken  (which 
has  exactly  the  required  letters)  ;  but  the  meaning  of  this  also  is  doubt- 
ful. Renan  translates  it  either  "  inhabitant "  or  "  senator."  The  word 
occurs  in  the  Bible  (1  Kings  i.  2,  4;  Ezek.  xx\'iii.  14),  with  the  mean- 
ing also  doubtful,  but  the  root  means  "  to  cherish."  Perhaps  "  friends  " 
suits  best  the  various  recurrences. 

30  This  word  seems  to  mean  "  glory  of  the  sun,"  the  Egyptian  "  Klm- 
en-Aten."  The  explanation  throws  light  on  a  difficult  passage  in  a 
letter  from  Elishah  (B.  M.  5).  If  Khu-en-Aten  (Amenophis  IV.)  is 
intended,  he  may  have  been  commander  while  still  only  a  prince,  since 
the  events  seems  to  belong  to  the  reign  of  Amenophis  III. 

31  Astarti  seems  here  to  be  Ashtoreth  Carnaim,  the  present  Tel- 
Ash  terah. 

32  Udumu,  now  Dameh,  the  Dametha  of  Maccabean  times. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  273 

Aduri,^^  the  city  Araru/^'*  the  city  Meispa,^^  the  city  Mac- 
dalim,^^  the  city  Khini.^^  I  announced  that  they  had  taken 
the  city  Zaar.^^  They  are  fighting  this  city,  the  city 
Yabisi.^^  Moreover,  fearing  the  force  against  me,  I  am 
watching  it  till  you  arrive.  One  has  come  from  your 
way  to  the  city  Bikhisi,^'^  and  he  has  made  us  hear  the 
news." 

134. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  by  letter,  thus  Abdmelec, 
the  chief  of  this  city,  Saskhi,*^  thy  servant.  At  the  feet  of 
the  King  my  lord  ...  on  my  face  seven  times  I  bow. 
Thou  hast  sent  as  to  going  to  meet  the  Egyptian  soldiers, 
accordingly  I  with  my  soldiers  and  my  chariots  am  meeting 
the  soldiers  of  the  King  my  lord,  at  the  place  to  which  you 
will  march." 

143  B. — "  To  the  King  our  lord,  thus  says  Addubaya  and 
thus  also  Betili.  At  the  feet  of  our  lord  we  bow.  Peace  in- 
deed to  the  face  of  our  lord.  And  as  is  fit  from  the  lands  of 
our  lord,  much  they  salute.  O  our  lord,  will  not  you  settle 
everything  in  your  heart  ?  Will  you  not  harden  your  heart 
as  to  this  combat,  O  our  lord  ?  But  their  intention  is  clear 
—  to  make  war  on  the  stations,  as  in  our  country  they  do  not 
follow  after  thee.  Lupackhallu  "^^  has  removed  the  soldiers 
of  the  Hittites ;  they  will  go  against  the  cities  of  the  land  of 
Ham  (Am)  and  from  Atadumi  they  will  take  them.  And  let 
our  lord  know,  since  we  hear  that  Zitana^^  the  Phenician 
(Kharu)  has  deserted,  who  will  march.     And  nine  chiefs  of 

33  Aduri  —  Edrei  in  Bashan,  now  Edhr'a. 

3*Araru — 'Ar'ar,  nine  miles  southeast  of  Ashtoreth. 

ssMeispa  —  Ramath-Mizpah  of  Bashan,  now  Eemtheh. 

36  Macdalim,  probably  Mejdel  Shems,  east  of  Banias. 

37  Khini  —  Hineh,  south  of  Hermon,  near  the  last. 

38  Zaar  —  Zora  of  Bashan,  now  Ezra. 

39  Yabisi  —  Yabis,  a  few  miles  northwest  of  the  last. 

40  The  Egyptians  would  cross  the  Jordan  near  Megiddo,  and  come 
from  the  southwest  to  oppose  an  enemy  on  the  north  and  east,  and 
reach  'Abbaseh,  on  the  north,  later  than  Yabis. 

41  Saskhi  is  probably  S'as'a,  east  of  Banias,  and  northwest  of  Yabis. 

42  Lupackhallu,  a  non-Semitic  Hittite  name.  As  a  Mongol  word, 
"the  very  swift." 

43  Zitatna  was  King  of  Accho  —  a  somewhat  similar  name;  but  prob- 
ably the  King  of  Arvad  is  meant,  as  appears  later. 

VOL.  I.— 18. 


274  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

the  soldiers  of  the  government  are  with  us,  who  march,  and 
the  message  is  unfavorable :  a  gathering  in  the  land  they  have 
made;  and  they  will  arrive  from  the  land  of  Marhasse 
(Mer'ash).  But  I  cause  Betili  to  send  against  this  foe. 
Thus  we  wage  war  against  them.  And  my  trusty  messenger 
I  cause  to  be  sent  to  your  presence,  as  said ;  for  you  to  return 
an  order  whether  we  shall  do  so  or  whether  not.  To  Raban 
and  Abdbaal,  to  Rabana  and  Rabziddu  thus :  behold  to  all  of 
you  be  peace  indeed,  and  will  not  you  harden  your  hearts,  and 
will  not  you  settle  all  in  your  hearts,  and  do  what  is  fitting 
from  your  places  ?  Much  peace ;  and  to  the  people  peace  be 
increased." 

91  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  thus  says  the  city  Gebal  ■*"* 
and  thus  Rabikhar,  '  the  lord  of  Phenicia,'  thy  servant.  At 
the  feet  of  my  lord  the  Sun  seven  times  I  bow.  Do  not  be 
angry,  O  King  my  lord,  with  the  city  of  Gebel  (Gubla)  thy 
handmaid  —  a  city  of  the  King  from  of  old,  obeying  what 
the  King  commands  as  to  Aziru,  and  it  did  as  he  wished. 
Behold  Aziru  slew  Adunu,  lord  of  the  land  of  Ammia,'*^  and 
the  King  of  the  land  of  Ardata,'*®  and  has  slain  the  great  men, 
and  has  taken  their  cities  for  himself.  The  city  Simyra  is 
his.  Of  the  cities  of  the  King  only  the  city  Gebal  escapes  for 
the  King.  Behold  the  city  Simyra  is  subjected.  He  has 
smitten  the  city  Ullaza.^^  The  captains  of  both  have  gone 
into  exile.  Behold  this  sin  Aziru  wrought.  Sinful  are  his 
strivings  against  her  ...  he  has  smitten  all  the  lands  of 
Ham  (Am),  lands  of  the  King;  and  now  he  has  dispatched 
his  men  to  destroy  all  the  lands  of  Ham ;  and  the  King  of  the 
land  of  the  Hittites,  and  the  King  of  the  land  of  Nereb 
(Nariba)  *^  have  made  the  land  conquered  land." 

^♦ThiB  letter  belongs  to  a  late  period  in  the  war,  since  Ullaza  has 
been  taken.  It  is  given  here  as  referring  to  the  land  of  Ham.  It 
may  very  well  have  been  written  after  Ribadda,  the  King  of  Gebal, 
left  the  city   (see  71  B.). 

*5  Ammia,  mentioned  again,  appears  to  be  Amyun,  south  of  Simyra. 

<8  Ardata  is  Ardi,  near  the  last. 

*T  Kefr  KhuUis,  north  of  Gebal,  agrees  with  the  required  position  for 
Ullaza,  which   is  mentioned   often. 

*8Nariba  is  Nereb,  on  the  Euphrates,  in  the  Hittite  country. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  275 

[From  these  letters  we  learn  clearly  that  the  Mongol  kings 
near  the  Euphrates  (and,  as  appears  later,  in  Armenia)  were 
leagued  with  the  Hittites  of  Mer'ash  in  the  extreme  north  of 
Syria,  and  of  Kadesh  on  the  Orontes,  and  were  supported  by 
the  Amorites  of  the  northern  Lebanon  and  by  some  of  the 
Phenicians ;  that  the  enemy  marched  south,  a  distance  of  300 
miles,  taking  all  the  towns  in  the  Baalbek  Valley,  reaching 
Damascus  by  the  gorge  of  the  Barada  Eiver,  and  advancing 
into  the  land  of  Ham  —  in  Bashan  —  where  all  the  chief 
towns  fell.  This  serves  to  make  clear  the  treachery  of  Aziru's 
letters  which  follow.  The  Amorite  advance  on  the  Phenician 
coast  was  contemporary,  and  extended  to  Tyre.  It  appears, 
however,  that  the  Amorites  were  a  Semitic  people,  while  the 
names  of  the  Hittites  are  Mongolic] 


THE  AMORITE  TREACHERY 

"No.  35  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  my  God,  my  Sun, 
Aziru  thy  servant ;  and  seven  times  at  the  feet  of  my  Lord 
my  God  my  Sun  I  bow."  [The  letter  is  much  broken,  but 
the  inditer  promises  he  will  never  rebel,  and  says  he  is  sin- 
cere. He  desires  land  of  the  King  (at  Simyra),  and  says  the 
men  of  the  government  are  friendly,  but  that  the  city  of 
Simyra  is  to  be  made  promptly  to  fulfil  its  engagements.] 

35  B.  M. — "  To  the  Great  King  my  lord,  my  God,  my  Sun, 
thus  says  this  thy  servant  Aziru.  Seven  times  and  seven 
times  at  the  feet  of  my  lord  my  God,  my  Sun,  I  bow.  My 
lord,  I  am  thy  servant,  and  from  my  youth,  in  the  presence  of 
the  King  my  lord,  and  I  fulfil  all  my  orders  to  the  sight  of 
my  lord.  And  what  they  who  are  my  agents  shall  say  to  my 
lord  as  to  the  chiefs  who  are  faithful,  in  the  sight  of  the  King 
my  lord,  will  not  you  hear  me  speak,  I  who  am  thy  servant 
sincere  as  long  as  I  live  ?  But  when  the  King  my  lord  sent 
Khanni,*  I  was  resting  in  the  city  of  Tunip  (Tennib)  and 

1  An  Egyptian  name;  perhaps  to  be  compared  with  han  ("kind")  in 
Egyptian.  An  envoy  of  this  name  was  sent  to  Diisratta,  King  of 
Armenia,  by  Amenophis  III.,  as  an  "interpreter"  (21  B.). 


276  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

there  was  no  knowledge,  behold,  of  his  arriving.  Whereupon 
he  gave  notice,  and  coming  after  him  also,  have  I  not  reached 
him  ?  And  let  Khanni  speak  to  testify  with  what  humility, 
and  let  the  King  my  lord  ask  him  how  my  brethren  have 
prepared  to  tend  him,  and  Betilu  will  send  to  his  presence 
oxen  and  beasts  and  fowls :  his  food  and  his  drink  will  be  pro- 
vided. 1  shall  give  horses  and  beasts  for  his  journey;  and 
may  the  King  my  lord  hear  my  messages,  with  my  assurances 
in  the  presence  of  the  King  my  lord.  Khanni  will  march 
much  cared  for  in  my  sight,  he  accompanies  me  as  my  com- 
rade, like  my  father ;  and  lo !  my  lord  says,  '  You  turn  away 
from  the  appearance  of  Khanni.'  Thus  thy  Gods  and  the 
Sun-god  truly  had  known  if  I  did  not  stay  in  the  city  of 
Tunip.  Moreover,  because  of  the  intention  to  set  in  order 
the  city  of  Simyra,  the  King  my  lord  has  sent  word  and  the 
Kings  of  the  land  of  Marshasse  (Mer'ash)  have  been  foes  to 
me.  They  have  marched  on  my  cities:  they  have  observed 
the  desire  of  Khatib,^  and  has  not  he  promised  them?  lo! 
hastily  he  has  promised  them.  And  truly  my  lord  has  known 
that  half  of  the  possessions  that  the  King  my  lord  has  given 
Khatib  takes:  the  tribute,  and  the  gold  and  the  silver  that 
the  King  my  lord  has  given  me;  and  Khatib  takes  all  the 
tribute ;  and  truly  my  lord  has  known.  Moreover,  as  against 
my  lord  the  King's  having  said,  '  Why  dost  thou  yield  service 
to  the  messenger  of  the  King  of  the  land  of  the  Hittites,  and 
dost  not  yield  service  to  my  messenger  ? '  this  region  is  the 
land  of  my  lord,  he  establishes  me  in  it,  with  men  of  govern- 
ment. Let  a  messenger  of  my  lord  come,  and  all  that  I  speak 
of  in  the  sight  of  my  lord  let  me  give.  Tin  and  ships,  men  ^ 
and  weapons,  and  trees  let  me  give." 

40  B. — "  To  Dudu  ^  my  lord,  my  father,  thus  says  Aziru 
■your  son,  your  servant :  at  the  feet  of  my  father  I  bow.  Lo ! 
let  Dudu  send  the  wishes  of  my  lord  .  .  .  and  I  .  .  . 
Moreover,  behold  thou  shalt  not  reject  me,  my  father,  and 

2  Perhaps  the  Hittite  King  of  Kadesh,  or  some  other  city. 

3  Or  perhaps  "  oil." 

4  Dodo  in  the  Bible  (1  Chron.  xi.  12),  from  the  same  root  as 
"  David."  He  was  not  really  Aziru's  father,  but  apparently  a  friend 
in  Egypt. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  277 

whatever  are  the  wishes  of  Diidu  my  father,  send,  and  will 
not  I  .  .  .  Behold  thou  art  my  father  and  my  lord:  I  am 
thy  son :  the  land  of  the  Amorites  is  your  land ;  and  my  house 
is  your  house.^  Say  what  you  wish  and  I  will  truly  perform 
your  wishes."  [The  latter  part  is  broken,  but  states  that  he 
will  not  rebel  against  the  wishes  of  the  King  or  those  of 
Dudu.] 

38  B. — "  To  Dudu  my  lord,  my  father,  thus  Aziru  thy  ser- 
vant. At  my  lord's  feet  I  bow.  Khatib  will  march,  and  has 
carefully  followed  the  messages  (or  orders)  of  the  King  my 
lord  before  he  goes ;  and  what  is  good  increases ;  and  I  have 
been  gladdened  very  much ;  and  my  brethren,  men  serving  the 
King  my  lord,  and  men  who  are  servants  of  Dudu  my  lord. 
They  had  feared  exceedingly.  Behold  he  will  march,  to  com- 
mand for  the  King  my  lord  with  me.  From  the  orders  of  my 
Lord,  my  God,  my  Sun,  and  from  the  orders  of  Dudu  my 
lord,  I  will  never  depart.  My  lord,  now  Khatib  goes  forth 
with  me,  and  also  he  will  march  to  strengthen  me.  My  lord, 
the  King  of  the  land  of  the  Hittites  will  march  from  the  land 
of  Marhasse  (Mer'ash),  and  has  he  not  boasted  to  meet  me? 
and  the  King  of  the  Hittites  will  rebel,  and  behold  I  and 
Kiatib  will  march.  Let  the  King  my  lord  hear  my  messages. 
I  have  feared  without  the  countenance  of  the  King  my  lord, 
and  without  the  countenance  of  Dudu;  and  now  my  Gods 
and  my  messenger.®  And  truly  these  are  my  brethren  — 
Dudu  and  the  gi'eat  men  of  the  King  my  lord ;  and  truly  I 
will  march ;  and  since,  O  Dudu,  both  the  King  my  lord  and 
the  chiefs  thus  are  ready,  everything  against  Aziru  is  for- 
given which  has  been  unfavorable  for  my  God,''^  and  for  us. 
And  now  I  and  Khatib  have  appeared  servants  of  the  King. 
Truly  thou  knowest  Dudu,  behold  I  go  forth  mightily." 

31  B. — "  To  Khai  ^  my  brother,  thus  says  this  my  brother 
Aziru.     With  thee  be  peace  indeed,  and  from  the  Egyptian 

s  Beiti  beitac  is  still  a  polite  phrase  of  welcome  in  Palestine. 

6  The  text  is  clear,  but  the  epigram  is  not.  He  appears  to  mean  the 
King  of  Egypt  when  speaking  of  his  gods,  as  also  a  few  lines  lower. 

7  Meaning  the  King  of  Egypt. 

8  Khai  is  also  an  Egyptian  name,  meaning  "  distinguished  "  in  that 
language.     He  is  perhaps  the  "  Khaia "  of  another  letter  by  Ribadda 


278  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

soldiers  of  the  King  my  lord  there  is  much  safety.  Who- 
ever is  against  it  the  promise  remains,  in  sight  of  the  King 
my  lord;  being  formerly  promised  it  remains.  I  and  my 
sons  and  my  brethren  are  all  servants  of  the  King :  it  is  good 
for  me.  Xow  I  and  Khatib  will  both  march,  behold,  with 
speed.  O  Khai,  as  among  you  truly  it  is  knowm,  lo !  I  have 
been  troubled.  From  the  orders  of  my  lord  there  is  no  re- 
bellion, nor  from  your  orders.  I  am  a  servant  of  my  lord. 
The  King  of  the  land  of  the  Hittites  dwells  in  the  land  of 
Marhasse  (Mer'ash)  and  I  have  feared  his  appearance. 
They  who  are  in  the  West  lands  ^  have  armed.  He  gathers ; 
and  while  the  city  of  Tunip  is  unoccupied,  he  dwells  two  swift 
marches  from  the  city.  And  I  have  been  afraid  of  his  ap- 
pearance ;  and  contrary  to  messages  of  promise  he  goes  forth 
to  his  rebellions.  But  now  we  shall  both  march,  I  and 
Khatib,  with  speed." 

[32  B.  repeats  the  preceding  —  perhaps  to  another  corre- 
spondent :  it  mentions  Dudu,  and  says :]  "  I  have  been 
afraid  of  this  rebel  son  of  a  dog,  and  I  have  been  troubled. 
Kow  he  has  sent  a  message  from  the  Western  land  —  the 
land  of  my  lord :  they  will  both  march  together,  and  I  have 
been  afraid  for  my  lord's  land." 

[33  B.,  much  broken  at  the  top,  refers  to  the  existing 
promise  or  treaty,  and  continues :]  "  I  cause  the  land  of  my 
lord  to  be  guarded,  and  my  countenance  is  toward  the  men 
who  are  servants  of  the  King  my  lord  in  peace.  My  lord  now 
I  and  Khatib  are  made  friends,^"  and  let  my  lord  know, 
behold,  I  have  ...  in  haste.  The  King  of  the  land  of  the 
Hittites  dwells  .  .  .  and  I  have  been  afraid  .  .  .  have 
armed  ...  of  the  land  .  .  .  my  lord  I  remain  quietly  .  .  . 
in  the  West  land  .  .  .  King  my  lord  to  defend  his  land  .  .  . 
and  now  behold  in  the  land  of  Marhasse  he  dwells  —  two 

(57  B.).  It  would  Beem  that  his  emhassy  to  Aziru  had  occurred  be- 
tween the  first  and  second  visits  of  the  envoy  Khanni. 

8  Mer'ash  was  in  the  west  of  the  Hittite  country,  seventy-five  miles 
northwest  of  Tunip.  The  distance  fits  well,  since  thirty-seven  and  one- 
half  miles  may  be  considered  a  forced  march. 

10  We  can  not  rely  on  Aziru's  protestations.  If  Khatib  was  a  Hittite 
King  it  is  certain  that  both  were  intriguing  against  Egypt. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  279 

swift  marches  from  the  city  of  Tunip ;  and  I  fear  his  wast- 
ings.  Let  the  city  of  Tunip  be  defended:  my  lord  is  a 
shield  to  me  who  serve  him;  mayst  thou  hear  what  is  said 
and  my  sons  will  .  .  .  forever." 

[39  B.,  broken  at  the  top.]  "  I  have  strengthened  this 
...  I  have  strengthened  this  wall  in  front  of  the  mouth  of 
the  great  pass  ^^  and  my  lord's  fortress.  And  let  my  lord 
hear  as  to  the  servants  of  his  servant  —  thy  servant  Aziru : 
they  will  keep  watch :  strife  surrounds  us :  I  trust  there  will 
be  an  expedition ;  and  let  us  watch  the  lands  of  the  King  our 
lord.  Moreover  to  Dudu  my  lord.  Hear  the  message  of  the 
King  of  the  land  of  Marhasse  to  me.  They  said :  '  Your 
father  ^^  what  gold  has  this  King  of  Egypt  given  him,  and 
what  has  his  lord  promised  him  out  of  the  Land  of  Egypt ; 
and  all  the  lands,  and  all  the  soldier  slaves  they  have  fought 
against  ? '  thus  they  said  ...  to  Aziru  .  .  .  out  of  the  land 
of  Egypt,  and  behold  the  slaves  come  round  from  the  land  of 
.  .  .  i^i :  ^^  they  have  rebelled ;  and  I  repeat  that  thirty  chiefs 
push  on  against  me  .  .  .  land  of  Egypt  he  remains  .  .  . 
my  lord  to  Aziru  .  .  .  soldiers  .  .  .  Marhasse." 

34  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  my  God,  my  Sun,  thus  says 
this  Aziru  thy  servant:  seven  times  and  seven  times  at  the 
feet  of  my  lord  I  bow.  Now  what  you  wish  is  desirable. 
Sun-god,  my  lord,  I  am  thy  servant  forever;  and  my  sons 
serve  thee.  .  .  .  Now  two  men  ...  I  have  commanded 
as  envoys  .  .  .  what  he  says  .  .  .  and  let  him  rule  ...  in 
the  land  of  the  Amorites." 

[34a  B. —  The  salutation  of  the  usual  type  is  here  injured. 
The  letter  continues :]  "  My  lord  my  god,  my  Sun,  I  am  thy 
servant  and  my  sons  and  my  brethren,  to  serve  the  King  my 
lord  forever.  Now  all  my  lord's  wishes,  and  what  he  causes 
to  be  dispatched,  duly  .  .  .  the  King  my  lord  having  dis- 

11  Probably  the  pass  in  the  valley  of  the  'Afrin  River,  near  Kyrrhus, 
twenty  miles  north  of  Tunip,  is  meant,  being  on  the  direct  road  to 
Mer'ash. 

a  Ahuca  ("your  father")  might  be  understood  in  the  sense  in  which 
it  Is  used  every  day  in  the  East,  where  ahuc  means,  "  God  curse  your 
father !  " 

i»  Ni  was  to  the  east  of  Aziru's  cotmtry  near  Tunip. 


280  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

patched.  Now  eight  chiefs  who  are  great,  and  many  decrees 
we  .  .  .  all  of  which  .  .  .  from  .  .  .  the  King  my  lord 
.  .  .  And  the  Kings  of  the  land  of  Marhasse  will  follow 
with  .  .  .  and  are  these  not  promised  or  leagued  to  the  city 
Simyra  these  thirty  years?  I  turn  me  to  the  city  Simyra. 
My  lord,  I  am  thy  servant  forever,  and  a  King  of 
men  who  are  friends;  will  not  my  agents  .  .  .  my  lord, 
wilt  not  thou  hear  ?  And  the  King  is  my  lord,  my  God,  and 
my  Sun :  let  him  send  his  messenger  with  my  messenger,  and 
let  them  go  up  who  serve  the  King  .  .  ." 

36  B. — "  To  the  King  .  .  .  thus  Aziru:  seven  times  and 
seven  times  at  ...  of  my  God  and  Sun.  Behold  truly  thou 
hast  known  this,  O  King  my  lord ;  behold  I  am  thy  servant 
forever ;  from  my  lord's  commands  I  never  rebel :  my  lord, 
from  of  old  it  has  been  thus.  I  am  kind  to  the  men  who  are 
servants  of  my  King ;  but  the  chiefs  of  the  city  Simyra  have 
not  kept  faith  righteously  with  us;  and  behold  neither  one 
nor  all  are  with  us :  my  lord  the  King,  did  not  you  cause  to 
be  asked  ?  The  King  my  lord  has  known  that  the  chiefs  are 
sinful ;  and  why  ask,  '  What  does  he  contend  for  ? '  I  say 
nay  ..." 

[From  these  letters  by  Aziru,  we  must  conclude  either  that 
he  was  a  great  liar  or  that  he  was  induced  to  change  sides 
later.  The  other  correspondents  seem  to  have  believed  that 
he  had  long  deceived  the  King  of  Egypt ;  but,  in  the  end,  his 
invasion  of  Phenicia  —  perhaps  cloaked  by  pretenses  of  hos- 
tility to  the  Hittite  league  —  caused  him,  as  we  shall  see,  to 
be  proclaimed  a  rebel.  The  quarrel  with  Simyra  may  have 
been  due  to  his  being  pushed  south,  out  of  his  dominions,  but 
is  here  said  to  be  due  to  a  Phenician  league  with  his  foes.  It 
does  not  appear  who  Khatib  was.  Perhaps  the  name  was 
Hittite,*^  and  he  may  have  been  the  Prince  of  Hamath  or  of 
Emesa.  The  following  letter  from  Aziru's  father,  Abdash- 
erah,  belongs  to  a  later  period  of  the  war,  when  Ullaza  and 

i*Khatih  may  mean  "Hittite  hero."  The  name  of  the  Hittites 
means  probably  "the  confederates";  and  the  sign  used  on  Hittite 
monuments  for  the  nation  seems  to  be  that  which  represents  two  allies 
facing  each  other. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  281 

all  the  cities  north  of  Gebal  had  been  conquered  by  the  Amor- 
ites.  It  is  couched  in  the  same  insidious  language;  and  the 
letters  of  Eibadda,  which  follow,  show  that  Amenophis  was 
not  open  to  conviction  for  a  long  time,  though  warned  by  his 
true  friends.  The  proclamation  is  still  later,  after  the 
attack  on  Sidon,  and  may  fitly  conclude  the  Amorite  corre- 
spondence.] 

97  B. — "  To  the  King,  my  Sun,  my  lord,  thus  Abdasratu  ^^ 
thy  servant,  the  dust  of  thy  feet.  At  the  feet  of  the  King  my 
lord,  seven  times  and  seven  times  I  bow.  Behold  I  am  the 
King's  servant,  and  a  dog  who  is  his  neighbor  (or  his  friend)  ; 
and  all  the  land  of  the  Amorites  is  his.  I  often  said  to 
Pakhanati  ^^  my  Paka  (Egyptian  resident),  '  Let  him  gather 
soldiers  to  defend  the  people  of  this  King.'  Now  all  cursed 
as  King,  the  King  of  the  Phenician  (Kharri)  soldiers  .  .  . 
Kharri:  the  King  shall  ask  if  I  do  not  guard  the  city  of 
Simyra  and  the  city  Ullaza.  Lo  my  PaJca  is  in  her:  I  pro- 
claim the  Sun-King;  and  I  have  given  orders  to  obey.  The 
city  Simyra  is  a  neighbor,^^  and  all  the  lands  are  the  King's 
—  my  Sun,  my  lord ;  I  watch  for  him :  and  I  know  that  the 
King  my  lord  is  very  glorious;  and  Pakhanati  my  PaJca  is 
established  to  judge  therein." 

Copy  of  a  Proclamation  against  Azieu,  sent  to  Egypt 

BY    KhANNI,    when    sent    AGAIN    TO    SyEIA 

92  B. — "  To  the  Chief  of  the  Amorite  city  by  letter  thus 
says  your  lord.  A  chief  of  the  city  of  Gebal  has  said  thus  in 
his  petition:     '  Send  him  away  from  my  gate  (he  says)  ;  he 

15  Abdasherah,  as  Dr.  Savce  points  out,  means  the  servant  of  the 
goddess  Asherah  ("the  grove"  of  the  Bible),  and  this  is  rendered 
certain  by  the  sign  for  Deity  prefixed  in  one  instance.  It  has  no  con- 
nection with  the  name  of  Ashtoreth. 

16  An  Egyptian  name,  Pa-Kliemt  or  Pa-Khent,  meaning  "  very 
strong"  (see  B.  M.  24,  Pakhamnata).  It  appears  from  Ribadda'g 
letter  that  the  station  of  this  Paka  was  Simyra,  and  apparently  the 
Amorites  killed  him  later  on. 

17  The  word  "  Gur  "  is  used  in  these  letters  as  in  the  Bible,  and,  like 
the  Arab  Jar,  to  mean  a  man  of  one  tribe  or  race  protected  by  a  power- 
ful tribe  or  person  of  another  coimtry. 


282  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

is  robbing  me  and  disputes  with  me  in  my  chief  city.'  ^"^ 
And  I  have  heard  this  and  much  beside  which  they  have  said 
to  me  as  I  now  speak  to  say. 

''  Thou  hast  sent  to  the  King  thy  lord,  saying  thus,  '  I  am 
thy  servant  as  all  former  guardians  ^^  who  have  been  in  this 
city.'  And  you  do  well  to  say  thus.  But  I  hear  so  to  say  a 
ruler  of  ours  whose  petition  is,  '  Send  him  away  from  my 
gate,  he  is  out  of  his  city.'  And  in  the  city  Zituna  (Sidon) 
he  abides,  and  has  subjected  himself  among  chiefs  who  are 
governors ;  and,  though  certainly  knowing  what  is  said,  thou 
dost  not  confess  the  persecution  of  these  chiefs.  If  thou  art, 
as  is  assured,  a  servant  of  the  King,  how  is  his  cutting  off  law- 
ful in  the  sight  of  the  King  your  lord  ?  Thus  this  ruler  be- 
seeches me,  '  Let  a  supplicant  be  protected,  for  he  is  disputing 
my  chief  city  with  me.'  And  if  you  do  as  is  asserted,  and 
not  according  to  all  the  messages  that  I  send  against  these 
things,  you  are  hindering  the  King  traitorously.  So  will  be 
understood  all  that  has  been  said. 

"  And  now  a  certain  chief  hears  of  a  gathering  with  the 
chief  of  the  city  of  Ciidsa  (Kadesh  on  Orontes,  the  capital  of 
the  southern  Hittites)  ;  devising  hostilities,  ready  to  fight, 
vou  have  made  alliance.  And  if  so,  whv  dost  thou  so  ?  Whv 
should  a  chief  foregather  with  a  chief  save  that  he  is  on  his 
side  ?  But  if  you  cause  what  is  assured  to  be  done,  and  you 
respect  the  orders  to  yourself  and  to  him,  I  say  nothing  more 
as  to  the  messages  you  formerly  made  and  a^  to  what  was 
pretended  by  you  in  them.  But  thou  art  not  on  the  side  of 
the  King  thy  lord. 

"  Lo !  this  is  the  message,  that  their  fortress  burns  in 
flames  through  your  burning  and  thou  ragest  against  every- 
thing grievously.  But  if  thou  dost  service  to  the  King  thy 
lord,  what  is  ii  that  I  will  not  do  to  interceding  with  the 

18  In  each  case  "  gate "  might  be  rendered  "  port,"  as  both  of  the 
cities  had  famous  ports. 

19  The  word  Khazanu,  commonly  used  in  these  letters  for  a  ruling 
class,  apparently  native,  and  in  communication  with  the  Paka,  or 
"  head  man,"  who  was  Egyptian,  appears  to  come  from  a  root  which 
means  "to  treasure."  The  word  Khazanutu  appears  to  mean  "a 
government." 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  283 

King?  If  then  thou  ragest  against  everything,  I  make  God 
my  witness ;  and  if  you  persist,  God  is  my  witness,  that  mes- 
sages of  war  will  be  in  your  midst,  and  by  the  might  of  the 
King  thou  diest,  and  as  many  as  are  with  thee. 

"  But  do  service  to  the  King  thy  lord  and  live.  And  thou 
thyself  knowest  that  the  King  does  not  deem  needful  a  sub- 
jection of  the  land  of  Canaan.^*^  So  he  is  wroth.  And  as  I 
sent,  truly  was  commanded  me  of  the  King  my  lord  this  year 
and  not  ...  in  another  year.  My  son,  this  contumacy  in 
the  sight  of  the  King  thy  lord  is  vain. 

"  And  now  the  King  thy  -lord  is  anxious  as  to  thee  this 
year.  If  it  is  difficult  for  thee  to  come,  then  send  thy  son. 
And  thou  beholdest  a  King  at  whose  commands  many  lauds 
tremble :  and  dost  not  thou  fear  ?  thus  truly  is  ordered  this 
year  concerning  us ;  failing  to  go  to  the  presence  of  the  King 
thy  lord,  send  thy  son  to  the  King  thy  lord  as  a  hostage,  and 
let  him  not  delay  at  all. 

"  And  now  the  King  thy  lord  hears,  for  I  send  to  the  King. 
Thus  truly  has  the  King  commanded  me  —  Khanni  —  a  sec- 
ond time  a  messenger  of  the  King.  Truly  it  is  to  fetch  to  his 
hands  men  who  are  the  foes  of  his  house.  Behold  now  I 
have  been  sent,  as  they  are  troublous;  and,  moreover,  thou 
shalt  bind  them  and  shalt  not  leave  one  among  them.  Now  I 
am  desired  by  the  King  thy  Lord  to  name  the  men  who  are 
foes  of  the  King  in  the  letter  from  Khanni,  the  King's  mes- 
senger ;  and  once  more  I  am  obeying  the  King  thy  lord ;  and 
tliou  shalt  not  leave  one  among  them.  A  chain  of  bronze  ex- 
ceeding heavy  shall  shackle  their  feet.  Behold  the  men  thou 
shalt  fetch  to  the  King  thy  Lord.  Sarru  with  all  his  sons ; 
Tula ;  Lieia  with  all  his  sons ;  Pisyari  ^^  with  all  his  sons : 
the  son-in-law  of  Mania  with  all  his  sons,  with  his  wives,  the 

20  "  Canaan  "  in  these  letters,  as  on  the  Phenician  coins  and  in  the 
Bible,  is  used  in  its  strict  sense  as  a  geographical  term  for  the  "  low- 
lands "  of  Phenicia  and  Philistia. 

21 "  Pisyari  "  appears  to  be  a  Hittite  name,  like  the  "  Pisiris  "  of  an 
Assyrian  inscription  (Schrader),  being  the  Mongol  bisir  ("rich"), 
with  the  indefinite  nominative  in  s,  which  marks  the  Hittite  as  a  non- 
Semitic  tongue.  The  other  names  are  also  apparently  non-Semitic, 
and  may  refer  to  Hittites. 


284  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

women  of  his  household:  the  chief  of  Pabahaa,^^  whose 
wickedness  is  abhorred,  who  made  the  trumpet  to  be  blown: 
Dasarti:  Paluma:  Numahe  —  a  fugitive  in  the  land  of  the 
Amorites. 

"  And  knowest  thou  not  the  glory  of  the  King  is  as  the 
Sun  in  heaven ;  his  soldiers  and  his  chariots  are  many.  From 
the  shore  lands  to  the  lands  of  Gutium,^^  from  the  rising  of 
the  Sun  to  the  going  down  of  the  same,  there  is  much  saluta- 
tion." 

[The  attack  on  Sidon  was  thus  apparently  the  fact  which 
opened  the  eyes  of  Amenophis.  It  appears  to  have  preceded 
the  final  success,  when  the  wealthy  city  of  Gebal  was  taken  by 
Aziru.] 

THE  WAR  IN  PHENICIA 

Letters  from  Cities  Near  Gebal 

No.  42  B.  M.— "  This  letter  is  the  letter  of  the  city  Ir- 
kata  ^  to  the  King.  O  our  lord,  thus  says  the  city  of  Irkata, 
and  her  men,  her  flock  (or  lords).  At  the  feet  of  the  King 
our  lord  seven  times  seven  times  they  bow.  To  the  King 
our  lord,  thus  saith  the  city  of  Irkata.  Knowing  the  heart 
of  the  King  our  lord  we  have  guarded  the  city  of  Irkata  for 
him  .  .  .  Behold  the  King  our  lord  orders  Abbikha  .  .  . 
he  speaks  to  us  thus,  O  King  ...  to  guard  it.  The  city 
of  Irkata  answers  ...  the  man  ruling  for  the  King.  .  .  . 
*  It  is  well.  Let  us  save  .  .  .  the  city  of  Irkata.  It  is 
well  to  save  a  city  faithful  to  the  King.'  .  .  .  Behold  many 
fight  ...  the  people  ...  are  frightened  .  .  .  Thirty 
horses  and  chariots  enter  the  city  of  Irkata.     Lo !  has  arrived 

22Pabahaa  is  perhaps  the  Papaa,  conquered  by  Thothmes  III.  (Kar- 
nak  List,  No.  296 ) ,  which  was  somewhere  in  North  Syria,  not  far  from 
Tunip.     The  wickedness  of  this  chief  is  said  to  have  caused  the  war. 

23  Gutium,  mentioned  in  Assyrian  texts,  was  a  country  on  the  north- 
east, near  the  Caucasus.  It  has  been  compared  with  the  word  Goim, 
for  "Gentiles,"  in  Hebrew.  Perhaps  Jebel  Judi  (Ararat)  is  intended, 
being  Dusratta's  country  allied  to  Egypt. 

1  Probably  'Arkah,  a  well-kno\\Ti  Phenician  city  north  of  Tripoli,  but 
south  of  Simyra  (Gen.  x.  17).     Aziru  killed  its  king  (91  B.). 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  285 

...  a  letter  of  the  King  as  to  arriving  .  .  .  thy  land  they 
reach.  The  men  of  the  city  .  .  .  belonging  to  the  King 
have  made  ...  to  fight  with  us  for  the  King  our  lord.  You 
send  your  chief  to  us  that  he  may  be  our  protector.  Let  the 
King  our  lord  hear  the  message  of  these  his  servants,  and 
appoint  us  provision  for  his  servant,  and  thou  shalt  exult 
over  our  foes  and  thou  shalt  prevail.  The  message  of  com- 
mand of  the  King  thou  shalt  not  deny  us.  Our  destroyer 
was  troubled  at  the  coming  of  the  King's  order  to  us.  Might- 
ily he  has  fought  against  us,  exceeding  much." 

128  B. — "  To  Yankhamu  by  letter,  thus  says  Yapaaddu.^ 
Why  is  it  spoken  ?  Lo !  from  the  city  of  Simyra  a  destruc- 
tion by  Aziru  of  all  the  lands,  in  length  from  the  city  of 
Gebal  to  the  city  of  Ugariti  f  and  the  destruction  of  this  the 
city  Sigata,*  and  of  the  city  Ambi.^  Behold  .  .  .  the  slave 
has  broken  the  ships  ...  in  the  city  Ambi  and  in  the  city 
Sigata,  and  in  all  which  dispute  for  the  lands  with  the  city 
of  Simyra :  and  shall  we  not  arise  to  enter  the  city  Simyra,^ 
or  what  shall  we  ourselves  do  ?  But  send  this  news  to  your 
great  city  (or  palace).'^  It  is  regretted  that  the  ...  is  un- 
fortunate." 

[44  B.  M. —  This  letter  seems  to  be  an  appeal  by  the  cities 
of  Phenicia  on  behalf  of  Eibadda,  the  brave  King  of  Gebal, 
during  the  time  of  his  resistance  to  Aziru,  which  failed  be- 
cause no  help  was  given  to  him  from  Egypt,  where  Aziru  was 
still  thought  faithful.  The  spokesman  Khaia  is  perhaps  the 
same  Egyptian  mentioned  in  Aziru's  letters.] 

2  Yapaaddu  ("Adonis  is  beautiful")  is  often  mentioned  again.  He 
(see  61  B.)  fell  into  the  hands  of  Aziru,  and  seems  to  have  been  a 
king  of  one  of  the  cities  near  Simyra,  apparently  Sigata.  This  letter 
was  probably  written  about  the  time  of  the  siege  of  Tyre,  at  a  late 
period  in  the  war. 

3  Ugariti  is  mentioned  in  a  letter  from  Tyre  (B.  M.  30)  in  a  con- 
nection which  shows  that  it  was  the  present  Akrith,  between  Tyre  and 
Accho. 

4  Sigata  appears  to  be  Shakkah,  north  of  the  great  pass  of  Shakkah 
(Theouprosopon),   where  the   King   of   Gebal   was   defeated   by   Aziru. 

5  Ambi  is  now  'Aba,  immediately  east  of  Shakkah. 

6  Simyra  was  on  the  low  hills  above  the  sea-plains,  by  the  river 
Eleutherus. 

7  The  last  words  explain  how  the  letter  got  to  Egypt. 


286  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

"  Thus  saith  our  confederacy  to  the  King  and  the  men 
of  Sidon  and  the  men  of  Beruta  (Beirut).  Whose  are  these 
cities  —  are  not  they  the  King's  ?  Place  a  chief  one  chief 
in  the  midst  of  the  city,  and  shall  not  he  judge  the  ships  of 
the  land  of  the  Amorites  ?  and  to  slay  Abdasherah  the  King 
shall  set  him  up  against  them.  Does  not  the  King  mourn 
for  three  cities  and  the  ships  of  the  men  of  Misi  i  ^  and  you 
march  not  to  the  land  of  the  Amorites,  and  Abdasherah  has 
gone  forth  to  war;  and  judge  for  thine  own  self,  and  hear 
the  message  of  thy  faithful  servant.  Moreover,  who  has 
fought  as  a  son  for  the  King  —  is  it  not  Khaia  ?  Will  you 
gather  us  ships  of  men  of  Misi  for  the  land  of  the  Amorites 
and  to  slay  Abdasherah  ?  Lo !  there  is  no  message  as  to 
them  and  no  memorial :  they  have  shut  the  road  —  they  have 
closed  the  way.  In  order  to  give  passage  to  the  land  of 
Mitana  '•'  he  has  left  the  fleet  which  he  has  built.  Was  not 
this  a  plot  against  me  of  the  men  of  Arada  ?  ^*^  But  if  be- 
hold they  are  with  you,  seize  the  ships  of  the  men  of  the  city 
of  Arada  which  they  have  made  in  the  land  of  Egypt.  Again 
behold  Khaiya  laments  .  .  .  for  you  do  not  .  .  .  and  as 
for  us  we  ...  by  the  land  of  the  Amorites." 

[45  B.  M.,  a  broken  letter,  with  passages  of  interest  as  fol- 
lows :] 

"  Moreover,  now  this  city  of  Gula  ^^  is  afflicted.  The 
region,  behold,  of  the  city  of  Gula  is  for  the  King  my  lord. 
Can  not  you  do  what  we  desire  ?  But  he  has  done  as  his 
heart  desired  with  all  the  lands  of  the  King.     Behold  this 

8  These  ships  of  the  men  of  Misi  are  mentioned  by  Ribadda  as  failing 
in  an  attempt  to  assist  him.  We  may,  perhaps,  understand  Egyptian 
ships,  and  compare  the  Egyptian  name  Meati  applied  to  part  of  the 
Delta. 

»  From  Dusratta's  great  Hittite  letter  (27  B.)  it  appears  that  the 
King  of  the  Minyans,  whose  coimtry  was  called  Mitani,  west  of  Lake 
Van,  in  Armenia,  claimed  to  be  King  of  all  the  Hittites;  and  this  is 
what  appears  to  be  here  intended.  In  other  letters  he  ia  mentioned 
among  the  invaders. 

10  Arada,  a  city  mentioned  again  as  assisting  Aziru  with  ships,  ap- 
pears to  be  Aradus,  the  Arvad  of  the  Bible,  now  Er  Ruad,  the  island 
town  north  of  Simyra. 

11  Gula  is  perhaps  the  town  of  Juneh,  north  of  Beirut,  on  the  way 
to  Gebal. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  287 

sin  which  Aziru  .  .  .  with  the  King;  he  has  slain  the  King 
of  the  land  of  Ammiya  ^^  and  the  King  of  Ardata :  and  the 
King  of  the  land  of  Ni  .  .  .  has  slain  a  Paka  ('  a  chief) 
of  the  King  my  lord  .  .  .  and  the  King  knows  his  faithful 
servant,  and  he  has  dispatched  a  garrison  from  his  city, 
thirty  men  and  fifty  chariots,  to  the  city  of  Gebal.  I  have 
been  right.  He  had  turned,  O  King,  his  heart  from  every- 
thing that  Aziru  orders  him.  For  everything  that  he  or- 
ders, the  messages  are  unanswered.  But  every  governor  of 
the  King  he  has  ordered  to  be  slain.  I  am  forgotten.  Be- 
hold Aziru  has  cursed  the  King  my  lord." 

[158  B. —  The  greater  part  of  this  letter  is  too  broken  to 
read,  but  refers  to  Abdasherah,  and  appears  to  be  written 
to  Yankhamu.  The  city  of  Simyra  is  mentioned,  and  the 
city  Arpad,^^  and  the  palace  or  fortress  of  the  former,  with 
certain  men  therein.  The  soldiers  of  a  city  Sekhlali  are 
also  noticed,  but  it  is  not  clear  where  this  place  is  to  be 
sought.] 

Ribadda's  Letters  fkom  Gebal 

47  B.— "  Eibadda,^*  of  the  city  of  Gebal  ^^  Gubla,  to  his 
lord  the  King  of  many  lands,  the  prosperous  King.  Baalath 
of  Gebal,  she  hath  given  power  to  the  King  my  lord.  At 
the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord,  my  Sun,  seven  times  seven 
times  I  bow.  Behold  this  ...  it  will  grieve  me  .  .  .  our 
city  ...  my    foes  ...  the    chief  .  .  .  watches    O    king 

12  Ammiya  is  Amyun,  north  of  Gebal ;  and  Ardata  is  Ardi,  near  the 
preceding. 

18  Arpad  is  the  city  close  to  Tennib,  which  is  mentioned  in  the  Bible 
in  several  passages  (2  Kings  xvii.  34;  xix.  13;  Isa.  x.  9;  Jer.  xlix.  23, 
etc.),  now  Tel-Erfud.  It  is  remarkable  that  Aleppo  is  not  mentioned 
in  this  correspondence,  for  it  is  referred  to  in  Egyptian  texts. 

1* "  Ribadda "  ( as  the  name  is  spelled  in  some  of  the  letters  in 
syllables)  may  mean  "child  of  Adonis."  Compare  the  Chaldee  Rihah 
for  "girl,"  in  the  feminine.  That  Adda  was  Adonis  seems  to  be  de- 
rivable from  the  name  "  Adoram  "  (2  Sam.  xx.  20),  otherwise  Adon- 
iram  (1  Kings  iv.  6) . 

15  Gebal,  now  Jubeil,  was  apparently  the  chief  city  of  Phenicia.  Its 
goddess  Baalath  is  mentioned  in  the  famous  inscription  of  Yehumelec 
(about  800  B.C.),  found  in  the  ruins  of  Gebal.  She  is  also  men- 
tioned in  the  "Travels  of  an  Egyptian"  (Chabas,  p.  312). 


288  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

...  no  men  of  garrison  .  .  .  were  given  to  the  King's 
chiefs,  or  preservation  l)j  the  King  against  him,  and  this 
I  say  is  not  defended,  and  the  King  has  not  preserved  me ; 
and  being  angry  Pakhura  has  gathered  and  has  dispatched 
men  of  the  land  Umuti  (Hamath).i«  xhey  have  slain  a 
chief  servant ;  and  three  chiefs  he  has  bound  without  appeal 
to  the  land  of  Egypt;  and  he  has  made  gifts  seducing  the 
city  against  me;  and  woe  to  the  place,  she  has  become  un- 
grateful :  the  city  which  was  not  base  in  old  times  is  base  to 
us.  But  the  King  shall  hear  the  message  of  his  servant  and 
you  shall  give  orders  to  the  chiefs.  Do  not  you  .  .  .  this  sin 
they  do?  ...  my  destruction  is  before  me,  and  is  it  not 
my  order  that  chiefs  in  the  sight  of  the  King  should  .  .  . 
my  destruction.  Behold  now  since  I  shall  gather  to  .  .  . 
and  perchance  I  shall  repel  this." 

46  B. —  [The  salutation,  as  in  the  preceding  letter,  is 
peculiar  to  Ribadda.]  "  Lo!  the  King  is  sending  to  me  Iri- 
maia :  ^'^  maybe,  he  will  arrive  to  gladden  us  from  before 
thee:  he  has  not  come  before  me.  The  King  sends  to  me 
the  most  disting-uished  of  thy  great  men,  the  chiefest  of  the 
city  of  the  King  that  thou  hast,  who  shall  defend  me  .  .  . 
mighty  before  my  foes  .  .  .  Now  they  will  make  a  govern- 
ment :  the  city  they  rule  shall  be  smitten  like  as  is  smitten  a 
dog,  and  none  that  breathes  shall  be  left  behind  him,  for 
what  they  have  done  to  us.  I  am  laid  waste  by  foes  by  men 
of  blood:  thus  on  account  of  this  slave  there  was  no  help 
from  the  King  for  me.  But  my  free  men  of  the  lands  have 
fought  for  me.  If  the  heart  of  the  King  is  toward  the 
guarding  of  his  city,  and  of  his  servant,  thou  wilt  ordei 
men  to  guard,  and  thou  shalt  defend  the  city,  thou  shalt 
gaiard  my  .  .  .  made  prosperous  .  .  ." 

61  B. —  [The  usual  salutation  precedes,  here  much 
broken.]  "Does  the  King  my  lord  know?  Lo!  we  know 
that  he  has  fought  mightily.  Lo!  they  tell  of  us  in  thy 
presence  what  the  city  Simyra  has  done  to  the  King.  Know, 
O  King,  boldly  marching  they  have  contrived  to  seize  her  — 

IB  Hamath  was  lialf-way  from  Aziru's  country  to  tha/>  of  Ribadda. 
17  A  name  very  like  Jeremiah. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  289 

the  sons  of  Abdasherah,  and  there  is  none  who  lives  to  carry 
the  message  to  the  King.  But  counsel  now  thy  faithful 
servant.  I  say  also  the  whole  of  the  fortress  they  have  de- 
stroyed ...  I  sent  to  the  King  ...  of  advice  as  to  the 
city  Simyra.  As  a  bird  in  the  midst  of  the  net  she  has  re- 
mained. The  siege  of  the  usurpers  is  exceeding  strong,  and 
the  messenger  who  from  .  .  ." 

[The  letter  is  much  broken.  It  refers  to  Yapaaddu  and 
to  his  own  faithfulness  to  the  Pahas  ("  chiefs  ")  of  the  King. 
He  also  appears  to  refer  to  the  King  destroying  the  Amor- 
ites,  and  goes  on:] 

"  The  ruins  perchance  he  will  assign  to  his  servant ;  and 
he  has  been  constant  and  is  upright  against  this  thing  —  to 
subdue  all  the  King's  provinces.  He  has  lost  all  the  cities 
which  .  .  .  this  has  befallen  to  .  .  .  and  from  the  destruc- 
tion .  .  .  against  me  none  who  .  .  .  them.  The  two  or 
three  that  have  held  fast  are  turning  round.  But  he  hears 
his  faithful  servant's  message,  and  a  servant  who  has  been 
constant  in  all  labor,  and  his  handmaid  the  city  of  Gebal 
is  the  only  one  that  holds  fast  for  me.  The  evils  of  this  deed 
are  equally  thine,  but  I  am  broken  in  pieces.  Henceforth 
Aziru  is  the  foe  of  Yapaaddu.  They  have  marched;  and 
there  is  news  that  they  have  been  cruel  in  their  ravages 
against  me.  Thev  rest  not:  thev  desire  the  evil  of  all  that 
are  with  me.  So  they  have  waxed  strong,  powerful  against 
me,  a  servant,  faithful  to  the  King  from  of  old  .  .  .  More- 
over, behold  I  am  a  faithful  servant:  this  evil  is  wrought 
me:  behold  this  message:  lo!  I  am  the  dust  of  the  King's 
feet.  Behold  thy  father  did  not  wring,  did  not  smite  the 
lands  of  his  rulers  (Khazani)  and  the  Gods  established  him 
—  the  Sun-god,  the  God  .  .  .  and  Baalath  of  Gebal.  But 
the  sons  of  Abdasherah  have  destroyed  from  ...  us  the 
throne  of  thy  father's  house,  and  .  .  .  to  take  the  King's 
lands  for  themselves.  They  have  joined  the  King  of  the 
land  of  Mitana,^^  and  the  King  of  the  land  of  Casi  ^^  and 

i8"Mitana,"  the  later  Matiene.     Dtisratta,  its  king,  claimed  to  rule 
the  Hittites.     The  Amorites  joined  this  league. 

19  The    region    called    "  Casi "    in    the    inscription    of    Usurtasen    I. 
VOL.  I.— 19. 


290  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

the  King  of  the  land  of  the  Hittites  .  .  .  the  King  will 
order  soldiers  (bitati).  Yankhamu  with  the  ...  of  my 
poor  land  .  .  .  The  Faka  of  the  city  Cumidi  .  .  .  and  they 
have  marched  .  .  .  Gebal  ...  to  a  faithful  servant." 

[83  B. —  A  much-broken  fragment,  referring  to  the  tak- 
ing of  Simyra,  appears  to  belong  to  this  period.] 

43  B. — "  Ribadda  speaks  to  the  King  of  many  lands.  At 
the  feet  of  my  Lord,  seven  times  and  seven  times  I  bow,  a 
servant  forever.  Lo !  the  city  of  Gebal  is  his  place  —  the 
Sun-god  revered  by  many  lands.  Lo!  I  am  the  footstool  at 
the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord ;  I  am  also  his  faithful  servant. 
Now  as  to  the  city  Simyra  the  sword  of  these  fellows  ^^  has 
risen  very  strong  against  her  and  against  me.  And  so  now 
the  destruction  of  the  city  of  Simyra  is  at  her  gates.  She 
has  bowed  down  before  them  and  they  have  conquered  her 
power. 

"  To  what  purpose  have  they  sent  here  to  Ribadda  a  letter 
saying  thus :  '  Peace  to  the  palace  from  its  brethren  before 
Simyra.'  Me!  they  have  fought  against  me  for  five  years, 
and  thus  they  have  sent  to  my  lord.  As  for  me,  not  to  be  for- 
gotten is  Yapaaddu,  not  to  be  forgotten  is  Zimridi.^^  All 
the  fortresses  they  have  ruined  .  .  .  there  was  no  cause  of 
strife  with  the  city  of  Simyra  .  .  ."  [The  next  passage  is 
much  damaged.] 

[42  B.  begins  with  the  usual  salutation  given  in  the  first 
letter.]  "  Having  just  heard  the  chiefs  from  the  presence 
of  the  King  it  is  fit  that  I  send  back  a  messenger  (or  mes- 
sage). Behold  O  Sun,  descending  from  heaven,  the  Sons 
of  Abdasherah  are  wasting  shamefully,  as  among  them  there 
is  not  one  of  the  horses  of  the  King  or  chariots,  and  the 
chiefs  have  devised  evil  —  a  rebellious  race.  And  a  chief 
is  here  with  us  of  the  Amorite  country,  with  a  written  mes- 

(Brugsch,  "Hist.,"  i.,  p.  139)  was  in  Upper  Egypt,  and  the  Cuah  of 
the  Bible  is  apparently  intended  —  a  very  vague  term  for  the  southern 
deserts  from  the  Euphrates  to  Nubia. 

20  Literally,  "  boys."'  It  seems  often  in  these  letters  to  be  used  as 
the  word  weled  ("a  boy")  is  still  used  in  Syria  to  mean  "a  fellow," 
applied  often  to  very  old  men. 

21  This  letter  shows  that  the  war  lasted  several  years. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  291 

sage  from  the  allies  which  is  with  me.  They  have  demanded 
what  is  shameful.  Hereby  is  spoken  a  friendly  message  in 
the  presence  of  the  King  —  the  Sun-god.  As  for  me  I  am 
thy  faithful  servant,  and  the  news  which  is  known,  and 
which  I  hear,  I  send  to  the  King  my  lord.  What  are  they 
but  dogs  trembling  in  the  presence  of  the  Egyptian  soldiers 
(bitati)  of  the  King  —  the  Sun-god.  I  sent  to  your  father 
and  he  .  .  .  '  to  my  servant  .  .  .  soldiers '  .  .  .  they  have 
not  marched  .  .  .  Abdasherah  .  .  .  the  chiefs  of  this  gov- 
ernment .  .  .  their  faces  against  him.  So  now  they  have 
joined  .  .  .  But  the  Misi  men  (Egyptians)  .  .  .  have 
brought  us,  with  speed,  corn  ...  So  now  not  without  favor 
...  I  have  become  a  great  man,  behold :  strong  and  power- 
ful in  their  sight  we  have  been  made.  But  mighty  and  re- 
bellious to  the  King  is  this  power.  His  land  does  not  intend 
to  help  the  land.  Behold  I  am  dispatching  two  men  to  the 
city  of  Simyra,  and  all  the  men  of  its  chief  have  gathered 
in  order  to  consult  as  to  messages  to  the  King,  who  will  know 
why  you  hear  from  us  your  chiefs.  Good  is  the  letter  they 
have  brought  us,  and  the  letter  which  the  messengers  of  the 
King  have  uttered  to  us.^^  Through  the  pretensions  of  this 
dog  the  King's  heart  has  been  grieved  with  men,  .  .  .  has 
been  unrighteously  set  up,  devising  in  their  hearts  .  .  .  and 
.  .  .  your  chief.  I  go  against  the  men  of  blood  from  the 
city  Simyra  ...  to  keep  .  .  .  axid  whatsoever  I  have  been 
commanded.  And  let  the  King  ...  the  news  of  his  serv- 
ant. I  have  dispatched  ten  chiefs  of  the  land  of  l^ubia,^^ 
twenty  chiefs  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  as  a  guard  to  the  King. 
Sun-god  and  lord,  thy  sen^ant  is  faithful  to  thee." 

73  B. — "  To  the  King  .  .  .  thus  says  Ribadda,  thy  serv- 
ant, the  footstool  of  the  feet  of  the  Sun-god  my  lord.  Seven 
times  and  seven  times  at  his  feet  I  bow.  Grievous  it  is  to 
say  what,  in  the  sight  of  the  King,  he  has  done  —  the  dog 
Abdasherah.     Behold  what  has  befallen  the   lands   of  the 

22  The  letter  in  question  may  have  been  the  proclamation  against 
Aziru  given  above. 

23Miliikha,  or  Meroe,  in  Assyrian  inscriptions  means,  according  to 
Dr.  Brugsch,  Nubia. 


292  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

King  on  account  of  him ;  and  be  cried  peace  to  the  land,  and 
now  behold  what  has  befallen  the  city  of  Simyra  —  a  station 
of  my  lord,  a  fortress  .  .  .  and  they  spoil  our  fortress  .  .  . 
and  the  cries  of  the  place  ...  a  violent  man  and  a  dog." 

[The  next  message  is  too  broken  to  read,  but  refers  to  the 
city  of  Gebal.     The  letter  continues:] 

"  Will  not  the  King  order  his  Paha  to  pronounce  judg- 
ment ?  and  let  him  guard  the  chief  city  of  my  lord,  and  order 
me  as  I  say,  and  let  my  lord  the  Sun  set  free  the  lauds,  and 
truly  my  lord  shall  order  the  wicked  men  all  of  them  to  go 
out.  I  present  my  memorial  in  the  sight  of  my  lord,  but  this 
dog  has  not  taken  any  of  thy  Gods.  Prosperity  has  fled 
which  abode  in  Gebal,  which  city  of  Gebal  was  as  a  city 
very  friendly  to  the  King.  It  is  gTievous.  Behold,  I  have 
associated  Abdbaal  the  prefect  with  Ben  Khia  (or  Ben 
Tobia)  a  man  of  war;  but  dispatch  -thou  him  to  thy  serv- 
ant .  .  ." 

57  B. —  [The  salutation  as  usual  mentions  Baalath  of 
Gebal.]  "Why  shall  the  King  my  lord  send  to  me?  The 
best  indeed  trembles,  of  those  who  watch  for  him  against  my 
foes,  and  of  my  freemen.  What  shall  defend  me  if  the 
King  will  not  defend  his  servant?  ...  if  the  King  will 
order  for  us  chiefs  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  of  the  land  of 
Xubia,  and  horses,  by  the  hand  of  this  my  chief  as  I  hope, 
and  preservation  for  the  servants  of  the  King  my  lord.  If 
none  at  all  .  .  .  to  me  ...  to  march  horses  .  .  .  my  land 
is  miserable.  By  my  soul's  life !  if  the  King  cared  at  heart 
for  the  life  of  his  servant,  and  of  his  chief  city,  he  would 
have  sent  a  garrison,  and  they  had  guarded  thy  city  and 
thy  servant.  That  the  King  shall  know  ...  of  our  lands; 
and  Eg;>^ptian  soldiers  (bitati)  shall  be  ordered;  and  to  save 
all  that  live  in  his  land,  therefore  it  is  spoken  as  a  message 
to  the  King  with  thy  messengers.  As  to  the  ...  of  this 
dispute  of  Khaia  with  the  city  of  Simyra,  that  they  should 
send  us  without  delay  thirteen  talents  (or  pieces  of  gold)  :  I 
gave  the  proclamation.  The  men  of  blood  are  named  in  the 
letter  to  the  city  of  Simyra.^'*     It  avails  not.     Ask  Khaia 

24  This  perhaps  refers  to  Khanni's  proclamation  already  given,  and 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  293 

as  to  the  letter  of  our  previous  dispute  with  the  city  of 
Simyra  —  to  satisfy  the  King,  and  to  give  security  to  the 
King,  they  are  sending  again,  and  ..." 

24  B.  M. —  [This  is  broken  at  the  top.] 

"  And  King  my  lord,  soldiers  are  moving  to  the  city  of 
Gebal,  and  behold  the  city  Durubli  ^^  has  sent  forth  soldiers 
to  war  to  the  city  Simyra.  If  the  heart  of  the  King  my  lord 
is  toward  the  city  of  Durubli  my  lord  will  also  order 
many  soldiers,  thirty  chariots  and  an  hundred  chief  men  of 
your  land ;  and  you  will  halt  at  the  city  Durubli,  my  lord's 
city.  If  the  lands  are  to  be  defended,  the  King  will  order 
the  departure  of  Egyptian  soldiers  (hitati)  to  the  city  of 
Gebal,  and  I  doubt  not  you  will  march  to  us.  And  I  .  .  . 
to  slay  him,  and  .  .  .  behold  the  King  my  lord  .  .  .  faith- 
ful ;  and  they  have  warred  with  the  men  Eau  Paur  ^^ 
(Egyptian  magnates)  of  the  King.  Lo!  they  have  slain 
Biari  the  Paur  (magnate)  of  the  King,  and  he  has  given 
gifts  to  my  .  .  .  and  they  are  helping.  And  none  are  serv- 
ants of  the  King.  And  evil  in  our  eyes,  behold,  is  this.  I 
am  spoiled,  and  I  fear  lest  ...  no  wnsh  of  the  faithful  chief 
be  granted  to  him.  Lo!  you  will  make  my  kindred  to  be 
afflicted.  The  King  shall  arm  the  land  .  .  .  thy  soldiers 
•  great  and  small,  all  of  them ;  and  Pakhamnata  ^^  did  not 
listen  to  me  and  they  do  a  deed  that  .  .  .  and  thou  shalt 
tell  him  this,  that  he  shall  set  free  the  city  of  Simyra;  and 
the  King  will  listen  to  the  message  of  his  servant,  and  shall 
send  Egyptian  soldiers.     Behold  he  will  say  to  the  King  that 

to  the  Khai  who  had  been  sent  at  an  earlier  period  to  Aziru.  The 
rebels  are  named  in  the  proclamation  of  the  later  embassy,  which  we 
thus  see  to  have  had  no  effect.  An  envoy  without  a  military  force 
behind  him  usually  fails. 

2  5  Durubli  is  probably  the  city  which  the  Greeks  called  Tripoli,  the 
largest  town  between  Simyra  and  Gebal.  There  is  a  village  called 
Turbul,  on  the  northeast  of  Tripoli    (Trablus). 

26  Kau  Pa-ur,  Egyptian  words  in  the  plural.  Kau  signifies  "  men," 
and  Pa-ur  (as  in  the  letter  from  Jerusalem,  B.  103)  means  "very  im- 
portant." 

27  Probably  the  "  Pakhanata "  (97  B.)  who  was  the  PaJca,  or  chief, 
of  whom  Aljdasherah  speaks  in  the  letter  about  the  town  of  Ullaza, 
near  Gebal.     He  seems  to  have  been  the  resident  in  Simyra  (B.  80). 


294  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

the  Egyptian  soldiers  have  no  com  or  food  to  eat,  all  the 
enemies  have  cut  off  from  the  midst  of  the  cities  of  the  King 
my  lord  the  food  and  the  corn  .  .  .  and  I  have  raised  sol- 
diers gathering  in  the  city  of  Gebal  .  .  .  there  is  not  .  .  . 
you  shall  send  to  us  .  .  .  and  to  march  to  it,  and  I  have 
stopped  .  .  .  and  not  one  of  the  lands  of  the  Canaanites 
helps  Yankhamu  though  he  is  for  the  King." 

[58  B. —  This  is  a  large  and  important  tablet,  but  much 
broken ;  it  begins  with  a  short  salutation,  and  then  says  at 
once,  "  I  am  laid  low."  It  refers  to  the  loss  of  the  city 
Abur,^^  and  mentions  the  names  of  Aziru  and  Abdaslierah, 
and  says  there  is  no  garrison.  The  enemy  are  marching  on 
to  the  capital.  He  says:  "  I  sent  to  the  palace  (or  capital 
of  Egypt)  for  soldiers  and  you  gave  me  no  soldiers."  "  They 
have  burned  the  city  Abur,  and  have  made  an  end  in  the 
sight  of  Khamu  my  son."  "  The  man  of  sin  Aziru  has 
marched  ...  he  has  remained  in  the  midst  ...  I  have 
dispatched  my  son  to  the  palace  more  than  three  months  ago 
who  has  not  appeared  before  the  King.  Thus  says  my, chief 
of  the  city  of  Takhida  ^^ —  they  are  reaching  him :  of  what 
use  are  the  fortifications  to  the  men  left  therein  ?  "  "  The 
chief  who  came  out  of  the  lands  of  Egypt  to  inform,  whom 
you  announced  us  on  account  of  Aziru  formerly,  I  shall  send 
to  the  King.  You  will  not  have  heard  this  message  as  to 
the  city  Abur.  The  dogs  are  wasting,  as  is  said;  do  you 
not  mark  the  news?  If  the  King  had  thought  of  his  serv- 
ant, and  had  given  me  soldiers  .  .  ."  The  next  passages 
are  much  damaged,  but  refer  to  the  same  general  subject  of 
complaint.  The  next  intelligible  sentence  is :  "  The  peo- 
ple have  been  enraged  expecting  that  the  King  my  lord 
vrould  give  me  for  my  chief  city  com  for  the  food  of  the 
people  of  the  strongholds."  He  then  protests  his  good  faith, 
and  says  finally :     "  And  my  sons  are  servants  of  the  King, 

28  Abur  is  perhaps  Beit-Abura,  in  the  valley  north  of  the  great  pass 
Theouprosopon,  between  Gebal  and  Tripoli.  The  enemy  had  not  as  yet 
forced  the  pass. 

29  The  second  sign  is  doubtful,  and  the  place  does  not  suggest  identi- 
fication   (see  60  B). 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  295 

and  our  expectation  is  from  the  King  .  .  .  The  city  is  per- 
ishing, my  lord  has  pronounced  our  death  .  .  •"  ] 

77  B. —  [After  a  short  salutation :  ]  "  Let  the  King  hear 
the  news  of  his  faithful  servant.  It  is  ill  with  me :  mightily 
fighting,  the  sons  of  Abdasherah  have  striven  in  the  land  of 
the  Amorites.  They  had  subdued  all  the  land  of  the  city 
of  Simyra,  and  they  have  wrecked  the  city  Irkata  (Arkah) 
for  its  ruler.  And  now  they  are  coming  out  of  the  city  of 
Simyra,  and  it  is  ill  for  the  ruler  who  is  in  face  of  the  foes 
who  come  out."  [The  tablet  is  here  broken,  but  refers  to 
Gebal  and  to  the  rulers  Zimridi  and  Yapaaddu.  The  writer 
hopes  for  the  arrival  of  troops.]  "Egyptian  soldiers;  and 
the  Sun-King  will  protect  me.  Friendly  men  have  been  shut 
up  in  the  midst  of  his  land.  Moreover,  the  King  my  lord 
shall  hear  the  message  of  his  servant,  and  deliver  the  gar- 
rison of  Simyra  and  of  Irkata :  for  all  the  garrison  have  .  .  . 
out  of  the  city  Simyra  and  .  .  .  Sun-god,  lord  of  the  lands, 
will  order  for  me  also  twenty  companies  (tapal)  of  horse, 
and,  as  I  trust,  to  the  city  of  Simyra,  to  defend  her,  you  will 
speed  a  division,  instructing  the  garrisons  to  be  strong  and 
zealous,  and  to  encourage  the  chiefs  in  the  midst  of  the  city. 
If  also  you  grant  us  no  Egyptian  soldiers  no  city  in  the 
plains  will  be  zealous  for  thee.  But  the  chain  of  the  Eg}^p- 
tian  soldiers  has  quitted  all  the  lands  —  they  have  disap- 
peared to  the  King."  ^^ 

NORTHEEN  PALESTINE 

Letters  feom  Beirut 

No.  26  B.  M.— "  To  the  King  my  lord,  my  Sun,  my  God, 
to  the  King  my  lord,  by  letter,  thus  Ammunira,  chief  of  the 
city  of  Burutu,  thy  servant,  the  dust  of  thy  feet :  at  the  feet 
of  the  King  my  lord,  my  sun,  my  God  —  the  King  my  lord 
—  seven  and  seven  times  I  bow.     I  hear  the  messages  of 

30  This  agrees  with  the  Jerusalem  letters,  as  showing  that  the  troops 
had  been  withdrawn  to  Egjpt.  Amenophis  sent  commissioners  and 
summoned  native  levies,  but  does  not  appear  to  have  been  able  to  send 
Egyptian  forces. 


296  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

...  of  the  King  my  lord,  my  Sun,  my  God  —  the  ruler  of 
my  life,  and  they  have  drawn  the  heart  of  thy  servant,  and 
the  dust  of  the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord,  my  Sun,  and  my 
God  —  the  King  my  lord  —  exceeding  much.  Sufficient  is 
the  order  of  the  King  my  lord,  my  Sun,  my  God,  for  his 
sen^ant  and  the  dust  of  his  feet.  Behold  the  King  my 
lord,  my  Sun,  has  sent  to  his  servant,  and  the  dust 
of  his  feet,  '  Speed  to  the  presence  of  the  Egyptian  sol- 
diers (hitatl)  of  the  King  thy  lord.'  I  listen  exceed- 
ing much,  and  now  I  have  sped,  with  my  horses,  and  with 
my  chariots,  and  with  all  who  march  with  the  servant  of  the 
King  my  lord,  to  meet  the  Egyptian  soldiers  of  the  King 
my  lord.  And  art  not  thou  confident  of  the  event  ?  The 
breast  of  the  enemies  of  the  King  my  lord,  my  Sun,  my  God, 
shall  be  troubled.  And  shall  not  the  eyes  of  thy  sei'vant 
behold  this,  through  the  mastery  of  the  King  my  lord ;  and 
the  King  my  lord,  my  Sun,  my  God,  the  King  my  lord, 
shall  see.  Thou  increasest  the  favors  of  thy  servant.  Now 
as  to  the  servant  of  the  King  my  lord,  and  the  footstool  of 
his  feet,  now  let  him  fortify  the  city  of  the  King  my  lord, 
my  Sun  —  the  ruler*  of  my  life,  and  her  gardens  (that  is  to 
say,  the  mulberries),^  till  the  eyes  behold  the  Egyptian  sol- 
diers of  the  King  my  lord,  and  .  .  .  the  servant  of  the  King 
I  proclaim  (or  predict)." 

27  B.  M.— "  To  the  King  ...  my  lord,  thus  says  Am- 
munira,  thy  servant,  the  dust  of  thy  feet.  At  the  feet  of 
the  King  my  lord  seven  and  seven  times  I  bow.  I  hear  the 
message  of  the  letter,  and  what  is  thereby  commanded  to  me, 
O  King  my  lord.  And  I  hear  the  precept  of  the  message  of 
the  scribe  of  my  lord,  and  my  heart  is  eager,  and  my  eyes 
are  enlightened  exceedingly.  ISTow  I  have  watched  much, 
and  have  caused  the  city  of  Bunitu  to  be  fortified  for  the 
King  my  lord,  until  the  coming  of  the  Egyptian  soldiers 
(hitatl)  of  the  King  my  lord.  As  to  the  chief  of  the  city 
of  Gebal  who  is  in  trouble  together  with  me,  now  they  de- 

1  Tlie  rTnill)orry  is  Btill  found  in  larpe  fjardens  at  Beirut  and  through- 
out the  Lebanon.  Since  Justinian's  time  it  has  been  the  food  of  silk- 
worms. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  297 

fend  him  till  there  shall  be  counsel  of  the  King  to  his  serv- 
ant. The  King  my  lord  is  shown  the  grief  of  one's  brother, 
which  troubles  us  both.  From  the  city  of  Gebal,  lo!  the 
sons  of  Ribaadda,  who  is  in  trouble  with  me,  are  subjected 
to  chiefs  who  are  sinners  to  the  King,  who  are  from  the  land 
of  the  Amorites.  Now  I  have  caused  them  to  haste  with  my 
horses  and  with  my  chariots,  and  with  all  who  are  with  me, 
to  meet  the  soldiers  of  the  King  my  lord.  At  the  feet  of 
the  King  my  lord  seven  and  seven  times  I  bow." 

Lettee  fkom  Sidon 

90  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  my  God,  my  Sun  —  the 
King  my  lord  ^ —  by  letter,  thus  Zimridi,  the  governor  of  the 
city  of  Sidon  (Ziduna) :  at  the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord, 
my  God,  my  Sun  —  the  King  my  lord  —  seven  times  and 
seven  times  I  bow.  Does  not  the  King  my  lord  know  ?  Lo ! 
the  city  of  Sidon  has  gathered.  I  am  gathering,  O  King 
my  lord,  all  who  are  faithful  to  my  hands  (power).  And 
lo!  I  hear  the  message  of  the  King  my  lord.  Behold,  he 
causes  it  to  be  sent  to  his  servant,  and  my  heart  rejoices, 
and  my  head  is  raised,  and  my  eyes  are  enlightened ;  my  ears 
hear  the  message  of  the  King  my  lord ;  and  know,  O  King, 
I  have  proclaimed  in  presence  of  the  Egyptian  soldiers  of 
the  King  my  lord,  I  have  proclaimed  all,  as  the  King  my 
lord  has  spoken ;  and  know,  O  King  my  lord,  lo !  mighty  has 
been  the  battle  against  me:  all  .  .  .  who  are  faithful  to  the 
King  in  ...  it  has  come  to  pass,  and  the  chiefs  .  .  .  sons, 
and  are  faithful  to  the  King  .  .  .  and  her  chief  who  goes 
out  in  the  presence  of  the  King's  Egyptian  soldiers.  The 
greatest  of  the  fortresses  deserts  to  the  enemies:  which  has 
gone  well  for  the  men  of  blood,  and  they  are  gaining  them 
from  my  hands,  and  my  destruction  is  before  me.  O  King 
my  lord  .  .  .  ,  as  said  the  chiefs  who  are  my  foes  have 
done." 

2  This  repetition  may  perhaps  be  regarded  as  only  a  phonetic  expla- 
nation of  the  preceding  ideograms;  but  perhaps  the  words  were  added 
to  ^ho^y  with  certainty  that  by  the  terms  "  God  "  and  "  Sun  "  he  meant 
the  King  of  Egypt. 


298  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

[From  the  letters  of  the  King  of  Tyre  which  follow  (99 
B.  and  28-31  B.  M.)  we  see  that  Zimridi  was  a  weak  ruler. 
His  own  letter  agrees  with  one  from  Eibadda  (54  B.)  as 
showing  that  Sidon  fell  by  treachery,  not  by  war.] 

Letters  fkom  Tybe 

[These  appear  to  begin  early,  before  the  appearance  of 
Aziru,  and  show  that  the  rivalry  of  Tyre  and  Sidon  was  of 
early  origin.  None  of  the  letters  mention  Tyre  except  those 
written  by  her  King.] 

99  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  my  God,  my  Sun,  thus 
says  Abimelec,^  thy  servant:  seven  and  seven  times  at  the 
feet  of  the  King  my  lord  I  bow.  The  King  my  lord  sends 
to  ask  if  I  have  finished  what  is  doing  with  me.  I  present 
to  the  King  my  lord  100  ornaments  (or  ^  crovnis,'  perhaps 
'  shekels  ' —  tacilal)  ;  and  let  the  King  my  lord  give  his 
countenance  to  his  servant,  and  let  him  give  the  city  Huzu  ^ 
to  his  servant  —  a  fountain  to  supply  water  for  his  drink- 
ing: let  the  King  my  lord  grant  a  chief,  a  subject  ^  to  guard 
his  town ;  and  let  me  plead,  and  let  the  face  of  the  King  my 
lord  regard  my  explanation  before  the  King  my  lord.  As 
said,  behold,  let  the  King  my  lord  confide  in  me  to  defend 
his  city.  Lo !  the  King  of  the  city  of  Sidon  is  taking  the  peo- 
ple who  are  my  subjects  —  a  chief  who  is  my  inferior  (or 
foe).  Let  the  King  give  his  countenance  to  his  servant,  and 
let  him  order  his  PaJca  (chief),  and  let  him  give  the  city  of 
Huzu  for  waters  to  his  servant,  to  take  trees  for  our  use  for 
the  dwellings.  Lo!  he  has  made  war:  nothing  is  left.  In 
vain  have  they  threshed  corn  if  the  King  of  Sidon  despoils 
the  King's  land.     The  King  of  the  city  of  Khazura  (Hazor)  ^ 

3  The  name  "  Abimelech  "  at  Tyre  is  interesting.  It  occurs  as  the 
name  of  a  Phenician  king  in  the  time  of  Ashur-banipal   (885-860  B.C.). 

*  Huzu  is  probably  the  modern  el  Ghaziyeh,  near  Sidon.  It  is  at  the 
foot  of  the  hills,  and  there  is  a  stream  (Nahr  ez  Zahrany,  "flowery 
river")  four  miles  to  the  south,  which  accounts  for  the  notice  of  the 
waters.     It  seems  clearly  to  have  been  in  the  direction  of  Sidon. 

^  Belu  amil  neru,  literally,  "a  lord,  a  chief  man  of  the  yoke  (or 
government)." 

B  See  the  letters  from  Hazor  after  those  from  Tyre.  This  petty 
monarch  was  an  enemy  to  the  southern  possessions  of  the  King  of  Tyre. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  299 

is  leaving  his  city,  and  goes  out  with  men  of  blood.  Let 
the  King  show  their  borders  to  the  hostile  (or  inferior) 
chiefs.  The  King's  land  is  vexed  by  men  of  blood.  Let 
the  King  send  his  Paha,  who  is  in  our  land." 

29  B.  M. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  my  God,  my  Sun,  thus 
says  Abimelec,  thy  servant:  seven  and  seven  times  at  the 
feet  of  the  King  my  lord  I  bow.  I  am  the  dust  beneath 
the  shoes  of  the  King  my  lord,  my  master  —  the  Sun-god 
who  comes  forth  in  presence  of  the  world  from  day  to  day, 
as  the  manifestation  of  the  Sun-god,  his  gracious  father :  who 
gives  life  by  his  good  word,  and  gives  light  to  what  is  ob- 
scure :  who  frees  all  lands  from  dissensions  by  just  rule  of  a 
free  country;  who  gives  this  his  compassion  from  heaven, 
like  the  god  Adonis,  and  causes  all  lands  to  rest  through  his 
mercy.  This  is  the  message  of  a  servant  to  his  lord.  Lo! 
I  hear  the  gracious  messenger  of  the  King  who  reaches  his 
servant,  and  the  good  utterance  which  comes  from  the  hands 
of  the  King  my  lord  for  his  servant;  and  the  utterance  it 
makes  clear,  since  the  arrival  of  the  messenger  of  the  King 
my  lord.  Does  not  he  make  it  clear  ?  —  the  utterance  is 
clear.  The  lands  of  my  fathers,  behold,  it  records.  Lo! 
the  utterance  of  the  King  comes  to  me,  and  I  rejoice  exceed- 
ingly and  my  heart  has  risen  from  day  to  day  because  the 
land  is  not  .  .  .  Behold  I  heard  the  gracious  messenger  from 
my  lord,  and  all  my  land  has  been  afraid  as  to  my  lord's 
countenance.  Lo!  I  heard  the  good  utterance;  and  the  gra- 
cious messenger  who  reaches  me,  behold  he  said,  O  King  my 
lord,  that  the  region  is  to  be  established  by  the  presence  of 
many  soldiers;  and  the  servant  says  for  his  lord  that  my 
plain  is  my  land  over  against  my  highlands,  over  against  the 
plain  of  my  cities.  He  has  borne  the  order  of  the  King  my 
lord  listening  to  the  King  his  lord,  and  has  served  him  in 
his  integrity,  and  the  Sun-god  he  has  proclaimed  before  him ; 
and  he  makes  clear  the  good  utterance  from  the  hands  of  his 
lord,  and  does  he  not  listen  to  the  order  of  his  lord?  The 
portion  of  his  town  his  lord  has  divided.  His  word  none 
shall  overthrow  in  all  the  lands  forever.  Behold,  this  is  the 
duty  that  he  heard  from  his  lord.     His  city  will  rest,  will 


SOO  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

rest  from  overthrowing  his  utterance  for  all  time.  Thou 
art  the  Sun-god  whom  he  has  proclaimed  before  him;  and 
the  decision  which  shall  set  at  rest  is  lasting  for  one.  And 
because  she  judges  that  the  King  my  lord  is  just  our  land 
obeys  —  the  land  that  I  am  given.  This  Abimelec  says  to 
the  Sun-god.  My  lord,  I  am  given  what  appears  before  the 
King  my  lord.  And  now  the  city  Zarbitu  ''  is  to  be  guarded 
by  the  city  of  Tyre  (Tsuru)  for  the  King  my  lord." 

31  B.  M. — "  To  the  King,  the  Sun,  .  .  .  thus  says 
Abimelec  .  .  .  seven  times  and  seven  times  at  the  feet  .  .  . 
I  am  the  dust  from  .  .  .  below  .  .  .  and  the  King,  the  Sun, 
forever  .  .  .  The  King  spoke  to  his  servant  and  to  his  serv- 
ant, my  comrade:  he  has  granted  that  extension  be  given, 
and  as  to  waters  for  his  servants'  drinking.  And  they  did 
not  as  the  King  my  lord  has  said ;  and  we  arrive  at  no  ful- 
filment. And  let  the  King  counsel  his  servant,  my  com- 
rade. He  has  granted  that  the  waters  be  given,  because  of 
the  abundance  there  to  drink.  My  lord  the  King,  behold, 
there  is  no  one  to  tend  my  trees,  no  one  to  tend  my  waters, 
no  one  to  make  .  .  .  Let  the  King  my  lord  know."  [The 
next  lines  are  much  broken,  and  the  letter  then  continues:] 
".  .  .  As  the  King  has  said.  And  let  the  King  assign  to 
his  servant  and  to  the  city  of  Tyre  (Tsuru)  the  city  that  my 
comrade  has  given,  and  what  the  order  lays  down  on  the  side 
of  the  King  for  his  servant,  which  the  King  made  an  order 
less  than  a  year  ago.  The  King  is  the  eternal  Sun-god,  and 
to  his  faithful  servant  the  King  my  lord  shall  .  .  .  for 
guardians  of  the  town  that  my  comrade  has  granted.  My 
requests  as  to  this  town  .  .  .  Moreover,  my  lord  .  .  .  sol- 
diers against  me  ...  to  my  desire  .  .  .  King.  .  .  .  Lo! 
his  heart  is  evil  .  .  .  King  my  lord ;  and  he  turns  away 
from  my  wish;  and  O  King  my  lord,  thou  knowest  the 
hearts  of  all  those  in  the  land,  and  let  the  King  give  his 
countenance  to  his  servant ;  and  to  the  city  of  Tyre,  the  town 
that  my  comrade  has  granted,   is  to  be  given  .  .  .  waters 

7  The  site  of  Zarbitu  is  probably  the  Sarepta,  or  Zarephah,  of  the 
Bible  (1  Kinps  xvii.  9,  etc.),  which  is  now  Sarafand,  half  way  between 
Tyre  and  Sidon. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  301 

for  irrigation.  Moreover,  my  lord.  ...  Let  the  King  ask 
bis  Paha.  Lo !  the  chief  of  the  city  of  Zarepta  has  followed 
the  city  of  Simyra  with  a  ship.  I  am  marching,  and  the 
chief  of  the  city  of  Sidon  marches  out;  and  as  for  me  he 
has  marched  with  all  .  .  .  and  let  the  King  counsel  his  serv- 
ant .  .  ." 

30  B.   M. —  [Abimelec  begins  with  his  ordinary  saluta- 
tion.]    "  Thus  far  I  defend  the  King's  city  which  he  con- 
fides to  my  hands  very  much.     My  intention  has  been  to 
walk  in  sight  of  the  face  of  the  King  my  lord,  and  not  to 
take  by  force  from  the  hands  of  Zimridi  of  the  city  of  Sidon. 
Lo!  I  hear  me  that  he  will  strive,  and  has  made  war  with 
me.     Let  the  King  my  lord  send  down  to  me  .  .  .  chiefs 
for  guards  of  the  city  of  the  King  my  lord ;  and  let  me  strive 
(or  plead)  for  the  dwellings  of  the  King  my  lord,  with  those 
who  deceive  his  gracious  countenance.     I  set  my  face  to  en- 
courage the  region  of  those  who  are  peaceful  with  the  King 
my  lord ;  and  let  the  King  my  lord  ask  his  Paha.     Lo !  I  set 
my  face   (or,  confirm  my  intention)   forever,  O  King  my 
lord.     Now  a  messenger  I  am  dispatching  to  ...  of  the 
King  my  lord,  and  .  .  .  the  King  my  lord  the  messenger 
...  his    letter  .  .  .  and    may    it    be    the    means    of  .  .  . 
the  King  my  lord  .  .  .  that  he  sets  his  face  .  .  .  forever 
to  .  .  .  the  face  of  the  King  my  lord.     His  servant  will  not 
let  slip  .  .  .  from  his  hands  ...  Let  the  King  my  lord 
give  his  countenance  .  .  .  and  he  shall  .  .  .  waters  for  the 
drawing  .  .  .  and   woods  for   his   servant.  .  .  .  Know,    O 
King  my  lord,  behold  they  are  plucking  the  fruit  that  we 
left.     There  are  no  waters  and  no  woods  for  us.     Now  Eli- 
saru,  the  messenger  to  the  presence  of  the  King  my  lord, 
has  hasted,  and  I  have  made  bold  to  present  five  precious 
things  of  copper,  this  agate,  one  throne  of  gold.     The  King 
my  lord  sends  to  me,  saying,  ^  Send  to  me  all  you  hear  from 
the  land  of  Canaan'   (Cina'ana).     The  King  of  Danuna  ^ 
has  been  destroyed,  and  his  brother  is  ruling  after  him,  and 

8  Danima  is  probably  the  Danjaan  of  tlie  Bible,  now  the  ruin  Danian, 
four  miles  north  of  Achzib,  and  on  tlie  border  between  Tyre  and 
Accho  (see  2  Sam.  xxiv.  6). 


302  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

his  land  has  broken  out,  and  they  have  seized  the  King  of 
the  town  of  Hugarit,^  and  mighty  is  the  slaughter  that  fol- 
lows him.  He  is  strong,  and  none  are  saved  from  him,  nor 
any  from  the  chiefs  of  the  army  of  the  land  of  the  Hittites. 
The  proud  Edagama  ^^  of  the  city  Ciidzi  (Kadesh  on  Oron- 
tes,  the  capital  of  the  Southern  Hittites,  now  Kades)  and 
Aziru  have  fought  —  they  have  fought  with  Neboyapiza; 
they  have  come  to  the  regions  of  Zimridi.  Lo!  he  gathers 
ships  of  soldiers  against  me  from  the  fortress  of  Aziru.  And 
lo!  they  have  grievously  opposed  my  lord's  subjects,  and  all 
will  break  out.  Let  the  King  give  countenance  to  his  serv- 
ant, and  let  him  leap  forth  to  go  out  a  conqueror  "  (or  "  to 
the  region"). 

28  B.  M. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  my  Sun,  my  God,  thus 
says  Abimelec,  thy  servant;  seven  and  seven  times  at  the 
feet  of  the  King  my  lord  I  bow.  I  am  the  dust  beneath  thy 
feet.  Consider  me,  O  King  my  lord.  The  King  my  lord 
is  like  the  Sun;  like  the  air-god  (or  Adonis)  in  heaven  art 
thou.  Let  the  King  advise  his  servant:  the  King  my  lord 
confides  in  me.  I  watch  the  city  of  Tyre,  the  handmaid  of 
the  King.  And  I  send  a  hasty  letter  to  the  King  my  lord, 
and  no  order  does  he  return  to  me.  I  am  the  Paka  "  of  the 
King  my  lord,  and  I  have  diligently  followed  what  was  or- 
dered. But  as  to  our  silence  to  the  King  my  lord,  let  the 
King  be  assured.  As  a  subject  I  guard  his  city.  And  let 
me  plead  (or  strive)  before  the  King  my  lord,  and  let  him 
see  his  face.  Who  shall  preserve  one  born  a  subject  ?  Lo, 
there  has  gone  forth  no  command  from  the  hands  of  the 
King  his  lord ;  and  he  may  not  know  when  the  King  sends 
to  his  servant.     He  may  never  know.     As  for  me  .  .  ." 

oHugarit  is  probably  'Akrith,  eight  miles  east  of  Danjaan.  It  has 
boen  mentioned  as  taken  by  Aziru,  in  Yapaaddu's  letter  (128  B.). 
Perhaps  the  attack  was  from  the  east;  and  the  King  of  Hazor  seems 
to  have  joinod  the  Hittites    (see  99  B.)- 

10  Edagama  has  been  mentioned  as  "  Aidugama "  in  Akizzi's  letter 
from  Katna,  which  was  east  of  Neboyapiza's  city  Cumidi  (Kamid) 
(see  B.  M.  37). 

11  In  the  former  letters  (B.  M.  31,  B.  99)  Abimelec  has  spoken  of 
the  Paka  as  distinct  from  himself.  Perhaps  the  Egyptian  residents 
withdrew  when  the  troops  were  withdrawn. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  303 

[The  letter  is  here  too  broken  to  read  consecutively.  It 
refers  to  the  "  west,"  and  apparently  to  "  burning,"  to  Aziru, 
and  to  some  one,  perhaps  a  king's  messenger,  called  Khabi. 
The  letter  becomes  readable  on  the  back  of  the  tablet.] 

".  .  .  by  Elisaru  the  messenger  it  is  confirmed  that  the 
city  of  Simyra  is  Aziru's.  And  is  not  the  King  nourished 
by  his  city  of  Tyre,  by  his  country?  Lo!  if  I  shall  be  de- 
stroyed the  King  is  destroyed.  But  thus  his  fortress  has 
been  wasted,  and  there  has  been  great  fear,  and  all  the  lands 
have  feared;  for  he  has  not  walked  after  {i.e.,  obeyed)  the 
King  my  lord.  O  King,  know;  desolation  has  remained 
with  me  —  with  the  Paka  in  the  city  of  Tyre.  Zimridi  is 
gone  to  the  city  Irib.^^  He  has  escaped  from  slavery;  and 
there  is  no  water  or  wood  for  us ;  and  alas !  there  is  none  re- 
maining to  stand  up  for  me.  The  chief  is  helpless.  And 
let  the  King  my  lord  advise  his  servant  by  a  letter  he  sends 
to  me,  whom  you  thus  hear.  And  Zimrida,  of  the  city  of 
Sidon,  has  sent  to  the  King,  and  Aziru  is  a  man  sinful  against 
the  King,  and  the  chiefs  of  the  city  Arada  (Arvad)  destroy 
me,^^  and  everything  is  altered  through  their  ravages;  and 
they  will  gather  their  ships,  their  chariots,  their  foot  soldiers, 
to  seize  the  city  of  Tyre,  the  King's  handmaid.  She  has 
been  very  constant  to  the  King's  hand,  and  the  city  of  Tyre 
has  been  crushed  by  them.  Were  they  not  violent  in  taking 
the  city  of  Simyra  ?  They  took  from  the  hands  of  Zimrida 
him  who  bore  the  King's  order  to  Aziru ;  and  I  sent  a  letter 
to  the  King  my  lord,  and  he  returns  me  not  an  order  for 
his  servant.  They  have  fought  for  a  long  time  against  me. 
There  are  no  waters  ^^  and  no  trees.  Let  there  be  ordered 
a  letter  for  his  servant,  and  let  me  plead,  and  let  me  see 

12  Irib  is  probably  'Arab  Salim,  fourteen  miles  southeast  of  Sidon,  on 
the  highest  part  of  the  mountains.  It  stands  on  a  precipice  400  feet 
above  the  gorge  of  the  Zahrany  River  ( Robinson,  "  Later  Bib.  Res.," 
p.  47),  and  was  a  stronghold. 

13  Aziru's  allies  from  Arvad,  no  doubt,  attacked  Tyre  by  sea. 

1*  Dr.  Bezold  has  remarked  that  want  of  water  was  always  the  weak- 
ness of  Tyre.  In  the  reign  of  Ramses  II.  the  Egyptian  traveler 
(Chabas,  p.  313)  speaks  of  water  sent  to  the  island  of  Tyre  in  boats. 
Tyre  is  called  by  him  the  city  of  "  two  ports,"  one  being  on  the  north, 
called  the  Sidonian,  and  one  on  the  south,  called  the  Egyptian. 


304  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

his  face,  and  the  King  ...  to  his  servant,  and  to  his  city, 
and  not  .  .  .  his  city  and  his  land.  Why  do  they  .  .  .  the 
King  our  lord  from  the  land,  and  .  .  .  and  he  has  known 
that  I  honor  the  King's  power,  who  ...  no  ...  to  my 
letter  —  a  subject  before  the  King,  my  Sun,  my  lord;  and 
let  the  King  answer  his  servant." 


SOUTHERN  PALESTINE 
Lettees  fbom  Joppa 

No.  57  B.  M. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  my  God,  my  lord 
of  hosts,  by  letter  thus  says  Yabitiri  (Abiathar)  thy  servant, 
the  dust  of  the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord,  my  God,  my  lord 
of  hosts.  Seven  times  and  seven  times  I  bow.  As  thou 
seest,  I  am  among  the  faithful  servants  of  the  King  my  lord. 
I  am  arraying.  But  if  I  am  arraying,  has  not  he  been 
furious  ?  and  I  am  arraying  before  the  King ;  and  he  has 
been  furious.  Shall  the  brick  (letter)  hide  it  under  decep- 
tions? But  I  will  not  conceal  under  deep  sayings  (emiki) 
to  the  King  my  lord.  And  the  King  my  lord  shall  ask 
Yankhamu  his  Paha.  Lo!  I  am  a  warrior,  and  I  am  cast- 
ing down  the  rebellion,  O  King  my  lord,  and  I  am  send- 
ing out  from  the  pass  belonging  to  the  King  my  lord.  And 
let  the  King  my  lord  ask  his  Paha  ('head  man').  Lo!  I 
am  defending  the  pass  (or  great  gate)  of  the  city  of  'Azati 
(Gaza)  and  the  passage  of  the  city  of  Yapu  (Joppa),  and  I 
myself  and  the  soldiers  (hitati)  of  the  King  my  lord  have 
marched  to  the  lands.  I  myself  am  with  them,  and  now, 
and  lo !  now,  I  myself  am  with  them.  The  yoke  of  the  King 
my  lord  is  on  my  neck  and  I  will  bear  it." 

71  B.  M. —  [The  usual  salutation  from  a  servant  of  the 
King,  whose  name  is  broken,  but  reads  Mus  .  .  .  ni.]  "I 
hear  the  messages  of  the  King  my  lord  which  he  sends  to 
his  servant,  hearing  what  is  spoken  by  thy  chief  (Ka),  and 
it  is  '  Strengthen  thou  the  fortresses  of  the  King  thy  lord 
which  are  with  thee.'     Now  they  have  minded  the  message 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  305 

of  the  King  my  lord  to  ine,  and  the  King  my  lord  learns  of 
his  servant.  Now  Biia,  the  son  of  the  woman  Giilata/  was 
my  ...  of  my  brethren  whom  I  am  dispatching  to  go  down 
from  the  city  Yapu  (Joppa),  and  to  be  the  defenders  of  the 
messengers  returning  to  the  King  my  lord;  and  now  Biia  is 
the  son  of  Gulata,  he  took  them ;  and  the  King  my  lord  shall 
learn  this  message  of  his  servant.  Thus,  since  the  King  my 
lord  said  to  me,  '  Make  him  leave  thy  city,  on  the  appear- 
ance of  Biia.'  He  also  indeed  is  made  to  leave ;  and  both  go, 
and  indeed  both  are  sent  down,  O  King  my  lord,  day  and 
night  till  they  reach  the  place." 

[Joppa  is  not  mentioned  in  the  history  of  Joshua's  wars 
in  the  south,  but  the  "  border  before  east  of  Japho  "  is  no- 
ticed in  the  later  topographical  charter  (Josh.  xix.  46).] 

Letters  from  Ascalon 

129  B. — "  To  the  great  King  my  lord,  Dagantacala,^  thy 
servant  speaks.  Seven  times  and  seven  times  at  the  feet  of 
the  great  King  my  lord  I  bow.  And  now  behold  Dagan- 
tacala  is  thy  servant,  O  great  King  my  lord.  He  hears  care- 
fully the  message  of  the  great  King  his  lord  .  .  .  like  my 
fathers,  and  what  my  fathers  have  not  done  for  the  great 
King  I  have  done  for  the  great  King  my  lord.  And  the 
great  King  my  lord  says  to  me,  '  Listen  thou  for  us  to  the 
head  man  (Ka),  thy  governor.'  ^  I  hear  this  carefully  as  to 
the  chief  governor,  and  the  ruler  knows  it." 

74  B.  M. —  [This  begins  with  the  same  salutation  from 
Dagantacala,  and  continues :]  "  Kedeem  me  from  the 
strong  foes,  from  the  hands  of  men  of  blood.  The  chiefs 
are  hiding  and  the  chiefs  are  flying,  and  redeem  thou  me,  O 
great  King  my  lord.     And  the  son  of  a  dog  has  .  .  .  But 

1  Gulata  is  an  interesting  name  to  find  in  the  south,  as  it  may  have 
some  connection  with  that  of  Goliah. 

2  The  sign  of  deity  is  attached  to  this  name,  showing  that  Dagon,  the 
Philistine  god,  is  intended ;  and  it  appears  to  mean,  "  Thou,  Dagon, 
art  a  shield."     Compare  Yamirdagan  (B.  136). 

3  The  word  "  Khazanu  "  is  here  used  of  an  Egyptian  official,  but  with 
the  qualification  "  chief  Ea "  introducing  the  Egyptian  word.  This 
agrees  with  the  view  that  Pa-lca  means  "  principal  man." 

VOL.  I- — 20. 


306  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

thou  art  the  great  King  my  lord.     Come  down,  redeem  me, 
and  I  shall  rejoice  because  of  the  great  King  my  lord." 

118  B. —  [From  Yadaya  of  Ascalon,  a  captain  of  the 
horse  of  the  "  King  —  the  Sun  from  Heaven."  The  usual 
salutation  is  much  broken.  The  letter  continues:]  "  Now 
I  shall  defend  the  places  of  the  King  that  are  with  me.  The 
strong  chiefs  who  are  not  foes  of  the  Law  (or  throne)  have 
cherished  greatly  the  King's  Paha.  Now  both  they  and  I 
listen  to  him  very  exceedingly  —  to  the  Paha  of  the  King 
my  lord,  the  Son  of  the  Sun  from  the  heavens." 

119  B. —  [From  the  same  Yadaya,  chief  of  the  city  of 
Ascalon,  with  the  usual  salutation.  He  is  a  captain  of  the 
horse  and  the  dust  of  the  King's  feet.  He  continues:] 
"  The  trusty  adherent  —  the  chief  of  the  King  my  lord,  who 
is  sent  by  the  King  my  lord  —  the  Sun  from  heaven  —  to 
me,  I  listen  exceeding  much  to  his  messages ;  now  I  will 
defend  the  King's  land  which  is  with  me." 

121  B. —  [From  the  same  writer,  with  the  same  saluta- 
tions.] "  Now  the  King's  land  which  is  with  me  is  de- 
fended, and  all  that  the  King  has  sent  to  me  they  hear.  The 
decree  is  very  powerful.  Who  am  I  but  a  dog,  and  shall 
such  a  one  not  listen  to  the  message  of  the  King  his  lord, 
the  Son  of  the  Sun  ?  " 

122  B. —  [From  Yadia,  the  captain  of  the  horse,  with  the 
usual  salutation;  it  continues:]  "Now  they  guard  .  .  . 
my.  May  the  gods  of  the  King  my  lord  grant  to  all  his 
lands  not  to  be  confounded.  I  hear  the  message  of  the  King 
my  lord  to  his  Paha.  Lo !  without  resting  he  has  caused 
the  land  of  the  King  my  lord  to  be  defended ;  and  now  es- 
tablish, O  King  my  lord,  one  who  is  in  favor  in  the  sight 
of  the  Paha  of  the  King  my  lord,  who  is  mighty  in  the  sight 
of  the  King  my  lord.  He  will  work  with  joy  to  .  .  .  what- 
ever is  proclaimed  by  desire  of  the  King  my  lord.  Now  he 
will  watch  the  land  carefully." 

54  B.  M. —  [From  the  same  Yadaya,  captain  of  the  horse, 
with  the  usual  salutation ;  it  continues :]  "  Now  they  watch 
for  a  message  of  the  King  my  lord,  the  Son  of  the  Sun.  And 
now  I  am  sending  drink,  oil,  sheep,  oxen,  beasts,  to  meet  the 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  307 

soldiers  of  the  King  my  lord  .  .  .  with  all  for  the  soldiers 
of  the  King  my  lord.  Who  am  I  —  a  dog,  and  shall  such  a 
one  not  hear  the  messages  of  the  King  my  lord  the  Son  of  the 
Sun?" 

53  B.  M. —  [The  same  salutation  from  Yadaya,  captain 
of  horse  and  "  dust  of  the  King's  feet."]  "  Now  they  guard 
the  land  of  the  King  my  lord,  and  the  King's  chief  city,  as 
has  asked  the  King  my  lord  —  the  Sun  from  Heaven.  Be- 
hold what  the  King  my  lord  has  said  to  his  servant  —  to 
take  arms:  I  am  now  sending  to  the  King  my  lord  thirty 
bands  to  carry  weapons.  Moreover,  who  am  I  but  a  dog,  and 
shall  such  a  one  not  hear  the  message  of  the  King  my  lord, 
the  Sun  from  Heaven  ?  the  Sun  —  Son  of  the  Sun  whom  you 
adore." 

[52  B.  M.  is  very  similar  to  54  B.  M.  Yadia  watches  the 
land  and  the  city,  and  is  a  dog  unworthy  to  hear  the  King's 
message ;  he  sends  drink  (beer,  according  to  one  value  of  the 
sign  —  and  the  Egyptians  drank  beer)  ^  and  oxen,  and 
beasts,  and  beans,  and  all  that  the  King  requires  for  the 
soldiers. 

It  is  to  be  remarked  that  Ascalon  was  not  among  the  cities 
that  Joshua  took,  but  we  learn  that  the  region  submitted  to 
the  Hebrews  (B.  103)  and  Ascalon  was  lost  before  1360  B.C.] 

Letters  from  Makkedah 

[These  letters  appear  to  be  early.  They  have  been  sup- 
posed to  come  from  Megiddo,  but  the  topography  (111  B.  and 
72  B.  M.)  can  not  be  reconciled  with  the  latter,  and  applied 
exactly  to  the  former  town  (now  El  Mughar)  ;  in  addition 
to  which  Megiddo  appears  as  Makdani  in  the  letter  from 
Accho  (95  B.).] 

113  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  .  .  .  and  my  Sun,  by 
letter  thus  says  Biridi,  a  faithful  servant,  that  I  bow  at  the 
feet  of  the  King  my  lord  and  my  Sun  and  my  God,  seven 
times  and  seven  times.     I  have  heard  (literally,  '  the  servant 

4 The  sign  meant  originally  "cup."  It  is  remarkable  that  wine  is 
not  mentioned  in  the  letters,  unless  the  drink  here  noticed  was  wine. 
There  was  plenty  of  wine  in  Syria  and  in  Hebron  as  early  as  1600  B.C. 


308  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

has  heard ')  the  messages  of  the  King  my  lord  and  my  Sun, 
and  now  they  guard  the  city  of  Makidah,  the  chief  city  of  the 
King  my  lord."  [The  text  is  broken,  but  seems  to  read 
probably]  "  without  rest,  and  is  set  right  .  .  .  without  rest 
they  watch  with  chariots,  and  they  guard  with  chariots  of  the 
King  my  lord,  from  those  who  do  injury.  And  now  behold 
a  battle  of  chiefs  in  (or  from)  the  land  below  Mizpah.^  The 
King  is  my  lord  for  his  land." 

114  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord  and  my  Sun,  by  letter  thus 
says  Biridia,  chief  of  the  city  Makidda,  a  faithful  servant 
of  the  King.  At  the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord  and  my  Sun, 
seven  times  and  seven  times  prostrated.  I  have  been  obe- 
dient then,  zealous  for  the  King  .  .  .  thirty  oxen  .  .  .  they 
have  gathered,  and  I,  too,  to  fight." 

115  B. —  [Biridia  sends  the  usual  salutation  without  men- 
tioning his  city.  The  text  is  rather  worn  and  broken,  but 
may  be  read  as  follows :]  "  Let  the  King  my  lord  know  this. 
Lo!  since  the  Egyptian  soldiers  (hitati)  have  gone  down  (or 
away)  Labaya  makes  war  against  me  and  without  cause, 
coming  angrily  and  without  cause.  Thereupon  the  entrance 
of  the  gate  has  been  closed  through  the  appearance  of  Labaya. 
Behold,  learn  this,  and  there  are  no  men  of  the  Egyptian 
soldiers  with  us.  So  now  it  is  desired  to  see  them  sent  into 
the  city  of  Magiidda,  and  let  the  King  see  accordingly 
whether  it  is  to  be  done.  Let  not  Labaya  seize  the  city.  If 
there  is  no  word  the  city  will  open  its  gates.  For  two  years 
he  rebels ;  and  will  not  the  King  grant  this  also  —  chiefs  of 
his  guard  as  defenders  of  his  chief  city.  Let  not  Labaya 
take  her,  though  those  who  have  fled  from  Labaya  have  failed 
in  this.  Moreover,  those  who  disgraced  the  city  Ma  .  .  . 
are  slain." 

112  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord  and  my  Sun,  thus  Labaya, 
thy  servant,  and  the  dust  of  thy  feet.  At  the  feet  of  the 
King  my  lord  and  my  Sun,  seven  times  seven  times  I  bow. 
I  have  heard  the  message  which  the  King  sent  to  me;  and 

5  The  text  is  damaged.  It  seems  perhaps  to  read  "  Citam  Mizpi  " 
If  this  is  right,  Mizpah  near  Jerusalem  might  be  intended,  or  it  may 
mean  "  below  the  heights." 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  309 

who  am  I  ?  and  the  King  will  afflict  his  country  before  me.  I 
swear  I  am  myself  a  faithful  servant,  and  I  have  not  sinned, 
and  I  have  not  murmured  at  my  tribute,  and  I  have  not  mur- 
mured at  the  wishes  of  my  friends  (or  subjects).  Lo!  this 
province  my  destroyers  eat  up,  and  I  have  had  no  food. 
The  King  my  lord  says  it  is  my  fault.  Once  more  he  makes 
it  my  fault.  Lo!  I  strive  with  the  city  Gezer  (Gazri)  ^  and 
I  complain  of  the  young  men.  The  King  one  hears  will 
march.  I  restrained  the  band  of  Milcilu  and  my  band  de- 
sirous to  fight.  The  quarrel  of  Milcilu  against  me  is  relin- 
quished; as  to  Ben  Zachariah,  the  King  has  sent  not  to 
attack.  Lo!  Ben  Zachariah  with  men  of  blood  was  known 
to  us  to  march,  and  I  marched,  and  we  are  conquering  him. 
He  gives  up  Abukasu.  Once  more  he  has  made  peace.  The 
King  has  sent  to  my  band,  saying,  '  I  order  peace.'  I  am 
desirous  of  peace,  since  the  King  has  sent  to  me.  Stay  thy 
sword,  ponder  in  thy  heart,  and  is  the  peace  hollow.  Nay, 
the  King's  messages  have  been  done." 

59  B.  M. — "  To  the  King  my  lord  and  my  Sun  and  my 
God,  thus  Yasdata,  a  faithful  servant  to  the  King,  and  he  is 
dust  of  the  King's  feet.  At  the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord  and 
Sun  and  my  God,  seven  times  and  seven  times  I  bow.  Let 
the  King  my  lord  know  this.  Lo !  all  whatsoever  things  the 
King  my  lord  judges  for  his  servant  .  .  .  him  .  .  .  the 
chiefs  of  the  city  of  Tabu  ^  have  slain  a  hundred  of  my  oxen, 
and  they  have  wasted  me.  And  with  Biridia  I  have  caused 
men  to  go  forth.  Let  the  King  my  lord  know  this  as  to  his 
servant." 

[This  letter  shows  that  the  writer  lived  near  Biridia,  who 
was  attacked  by  Labaya,  and  that  the  Hebron  hills  were  in- 
habited by  marauders.] 

72  B.  M. — "  Lo !  a  letter  as  to  destruction  of  my  brethren 
because  of  what  the  gods  of  the  King  our  lord  have  done. 
And  the  people  of  Libaya  are  conquered;  and  so  we  have 

6  Gazri  is  the  Gezer  of  the  Bible,  now  Tel-Jezar,  at  the  foot  of  the 
Jerusalem  hills 

7  Tabu  is  probably  Taiyibeh,  seven  miles  northwest  of  Hebron,  on  a 
hill  at  the  head  of  the  valley  of  Elah.  This  fits  in  with  the  rest  of 
the  topographical  notices. 


310  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

ordered  Khaia  ^  that  this  be  borne  by  him  to  the  King  our 
lord.  And  a  company  of  my  horse  was  placed,  and  the  peo- 
ple are  sent  out  after  him,  and  he  rides  with  Yasdata  also  till 
I  come.  And  he  is  gone  away  to  smite  him,  and  now  Yas- 
data is  thy  servant,  and  he  strives  mightily  with  me  in  battle 
array,  and  has  not  he  .  .  .  the  rule  of  the  King  my  lord, 
and  let  there  be  ...  to  the  King  my  lord  .  •  .  ,  and  Zurata 
is  stopping  the  way  of  Labaya  from  the  city  of  Makidda. 
And  he  asked  me  to  gather  ships  —  my  fleet,  and  it  will  go 
straight  to  inform  the  King ;  and  Zurata  marches  on  him  and 
hinders  him ;  from  the  city  of  'Anana  which  is  his.  Zurata 
is  damming  the  marshes.  They  have  contrived  a  stoppage  of 
the  head  waters  from  his  drinking.  Behold  what  thus  I  have 
done  for  the  King  my  lord.  Lo !  possession  is  possible  for 
me,  but  it  is  difficult.  My  brethren  have  become  few  but 
Zurata  delays  Labaya  and  Zurata  hinders  Addumemur  from 
them.     And  does  not  the  King  my  lord  know  this  ?  " 

[This  letter  (confirmed  by  154  B.)  shows  that  a  to^vn  near 
the  sea,  not  like  Megiddo,  inland,  is  intended.  Labaya  had 
apparently  taken  Makkedah  from  Biridia,  who  had  been 
afraid  of  it  (115  B.).  The  writer  of  the  present  letter  was 
probably  Biridia  and  he  was  perhaps  blockading  the  province 
by  sea  on  the  west,  while  Yasdata,  who  was  on  the  east  (which 
agrees  with  59  B.  M.),  blocked  up  the  stream  near  'Anana. 
This  site  would  be  the  Enam  of  the  Bible  (Josh.  xv.  34), 
which  is  thus  fixed  at  the  ruin  of  Kefr  'Ain,  by  the  numerous 
head  springs  which  feed  the  river  Eubin,  which  passes  close  to 
Makkedah  on  the  south.  The  marshes  here  between  the  hills 
would  easily  be  dammed,  and  the  water-supply  of  Makkedah 
(el  Mughar)  so  cut  off.  Makkedah  is  close  to  the  only 
stream  of  perennial  water  south  of  Joppa,  and  stands  high  on 
a  cliff,  not  far  from  the  sea.  It  is  in  the  center  of  the 
province,  the  boundaries  of  which  Labaya's  sons  describe 
(154  B.).] 

149  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  thus  says  Adduurbilu, 
thy  servant,  at  the  feet  of  my  lord  I  bow  —  to  the  King  my 

8  Probably  the  same  Khaia  who  appears  in  the  north  as  an  envoy  to 
the  Amorites  —  an  Egyptian  official. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  311 

lord.  And  know  thou,  behold  I  have  raised  my  .  .  .  what 
I  desire  as  to  Miicilu.  Lo !  my  chiefs  are  going  against  his 
servants.  As  to  Takanu,  a  chief  will  march  out  to  subject 
his  servants  for  me.^  And  I  have  requited  to  this  slave 
what  they  did  to  us."  [The  letter  then  becomes  broken,  but 
refers  to  Miicilu,  who  was  the  King  of  Gezer.  Takanu  (or 
Tagi)  is  mentioned  again  in  connection  with  Givti  (B. 
199).] 

61  B.  M. — "  To  the  King,  my  master,  by  letter  thus  says 
Labaya,  thy  servant.  I  bow  at  the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord. 
Lo!  a  message  as  to  me.  Strong  were  the  chiefs  who  have 
taken  the  city.  As  when  a  snake  coils  round  one,  the  chiefs, 
by  fighting,  have  taken  the  city.  They  hurt  the  innocent, 
and  outrage  the  orphan.  The  chief  man  is  with  me.  They 
have  taken  the  city  and  he  receives  sustenance.  My  de- 
stroyers exult  in  the  face  of  the  King  my  lord.  He  is  left 
like  the  ant  whose  home  is  destroyed.  You  will  be  dis- 
pleased, but  I  have  extended  to  the  hand  of  her  chief  that 
which  is  asked  of  him :  like  me  he  is  ruined  and  unfortunate ; 
and  this  same  taking  of  my  city  had  been  stopped  if  you  had 
spoken  against  it.  This  wickedness  (or  foolishness)  you 
caused,  and  thou  hast  destroyed  thy  city.  They  have  desired 
to  throttle  (or  persecute)  us  —  the  chiefs  who  have  taken 
the  city  from  him.  It  is  the  city  of  my  fathers  also  that  they 
persecute." 

154  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  by  letter  thus  says  Ad- 
durbilu,  thy  servant,  at  the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord  seven 
times  and  seven  times  I  bow.  The  King  my  lord  will  know 
the  hate  which  is  desired  by  the  son  of  the  sinful  chief  who 
hated  me  —  the  second  son  of  Labaya.  His  face  is 
estranged.  I  foresee  estrangement  of  the  land  of  the  King 
my  lord.  He  has  plotted  as  plotted  against  me,  the  chief 
who  was  his  father ;  and  the  King  my  lord  shall  know  it. 
Lo !  he  has  built  a  fort  .  .  .  against  me.     The  second  son  of 

»  Takanu  (see  B.  199,  70  B.  M.)  lived  near  Givti,  and  perhaps  was 
the  chief  of  that  town,  which  may  be  Gibeah  of  Judah,  near  the  valley 
of  Elah,  southeast  of  Makkedah.  It  is  mentioned  with  Hareth,  which 
was  close  by  Gibeah. 


312  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Labaya  says :  '  Why  has  a  vain  papyrus  ^^  taken  from  us 
the  lowlands  of  the  Gitties?  .  .  .  thy  lord,  O  city  of  those 
who  besieged  the  chief  of  our  father.'  As  I  am  saying 
speaks  to  us  the  second  son  of  Labaya.  He  has  made  war  for 
me  with  the  chiefs  of  the  land  of  Gina,  causing  a  chief,  our 
friend,  to  be  slain.  And  when  there  was  a  battle,  he  has  not 
been  confounded,  and  the  fight  was  great,  but  he  has  made  it 
his  dwelling,  bereaving  me  in  the  sight  of  the  King  my  lord : 
for  he  has  made  war  in  ...  of  Gina  with  the  servants  of  the 
King  my  lord.  And  truly  alone  of  the  chiefs  exceeding 
strong  is  Biruyapiza.^^  And  thou  shalt  hear  what  is  said  as 
to  him."  [The  text  becomes  broken,  but  still  refers  to  the 
doings  of  the  second  son  of  Labaya,  and  continues  with  an 
important  passage  on  the  back  of  the  tablet :] 

"  And  as  I  say,  speaks  to  us  the  second  son  of  Labaya  who 
is  making  war.  '  As  to  our  possessions  from  the  King  thy 
lord,  lo !  this  is  the  boundary :  over  against  the  city  of  Sunasu 
and  over  against  the  city  Burku  and  over  against  the  city 
Kharabu.  And  behold  the  boundary  of  the  dwelling  of  my 
race.  So  it  was  defined  by  our  lord ;  and  it  includes  the  city 
of  Giti  Rimuna  (Gath  Rimmon).  And  the  King  thy  lord 
is  breaking  the  bond  of  our  .  .  .'  And  I  answered  him. 
It  is  known  that  he  deprives  me  of  it  in  sight  of  the  King  my 
lord.  Because  of  his  making  wars  with  the  King  of  my  lord 
—  my  King  my  lord  —  I  and  my  brethren  have  gone  down 
as  you  heard  of  us  by  me.  And  did  not  the  messenger  of 
Milcilu  speak  to  him  before  the  face  of  the  second  son  of 
Labaya  ?  It  was  made  complete.  I  foresee  estrangement  of 
the  land  of  the  King  my  lord.  They  disturb  a  peaceful 
region,  and  in  vain  I  repeat  the  letter  about  me.  The  guard 
of  my  lord  ...  to  go  down,  and  the  King  my  lord  shall  hear 
what  the  message  says." 

[This  letter  settles  the  site  of  Gath  Rimmon  (the  full  name 
of  Gath,  so  called  as  standing  on  a  height)  —  now  Tel  es 
Safi.     The  land  of  Gina  was  near  the  present  Umm  Jina  — 

10  Referring  to  the  King's  order  on  papyrus.     Tn  Dusratta's  Hittite 
letter  a  royal  decree  on  papyrus  is  also  mentioned. 

11  Biruyapiza  was  probably  the  second  son  of  Labaya. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  313 

probably  Engannim  of  Judah  (Josh.  xv.  34)  —  in  the  low 
hills  about  six  miles  to  the  northeast.  Sunasu  is  Sanasin,  a 
ruin  in  the  hills  east  of  the  Valley  of  Elah.  Burka  is  Bur- 
kah,  in  the  plain  northeast  of  Ashdod.  Kharabu  is  el  Khu- 
rab,  a  village  east  of  Jaffa,  and  just  north  of  the  Valley  of 
Jaffa.  Gath  stood  over  the  Valley  of  Elah,  and  Burka  close 
to  the  same.  The  province  extended  from  the  hills  of 
Hebron  to  the  sea,  and  from  the  Valley  of  Elah  to  the  Valley 
of  Jaffa ;  and  just  in  the  middle  of  this  province  was  Mak- 
kedah.] 

[Ill  B.,  a  fragment  of  a  letter  from  Biridia.  He  is  a 
faithful  servant,  and  sends  the  usual  salutation.  He  has 
heard  of  peace,  and  he  is  marching.  The  son  of  Labaya  is 
noticed,  and  there  is  a  reference  to  gold.  Biridia  has  already 
appeared  as  one  of  the  enemies  of  Labaya.] 

73  B.  M. —  [This  seems  to  come  from  the  same  region  on 
account  of  its  topography.  The  letter  is  injured  at  the  top 
and  probably  not  addressed  to  the  King  himself.]  "  I  say 
the  dog  is  marching  .  .  .  from  their  ravages  against  me. 
JSTow  behold,  from  being  loosed  .  .  .  from  the  wastiugs 
against  ...  Lo!  consider  thou  thyself  my  chief  cities. 
Mighty  against  me  ...  he  has  made  ...  to  the  city  Mac- 
dalim.^^  And  soldiers  of  the  city  Cuuzbe  ^^  have  destroyed 
east  of  me.  And  now  there  is  no  commander  to  lead  me 
forth  from  their  hands.  Moreover,  Abbikha  (or  Abbinebo) 
smites  my  western  region.  They  have  sinned  against  me 
and  all  the  passes  he  marches  against  .  .  .  Abbikha  .  .  ." 

Letters  feom  Gezee 

63  B.  M.— "  To  the  King  my  lord,  my  God,  my  Sun,  by 
letter  thus  says  Milcili,  thy  servant,  the  dust  of  thy  feet.  At 
the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord,  my  God,  my  Sun,  seven  times 
seven  times  I  bow.     I  hear  what  the  King  my  lord  has  sent 

12  Macdalim  may  be  Mejdel,  in  the  Philistine  plain,  which  is  still  a 
place  of  importance,  with  a  market. 

13  Cuuzbe  is  probably  the  Chezib  of  the  Bible  ( Gen.  xxxviii.  5 ) ,  in 
the  low  hills  east  of  Gath,  now  'Ain  Kezbeh.  Ihe  maraudei's  seem  to 
issue  from  the  mountains,  destroying  the  commerce  of  the  plains  (com- 
pare 59  B.  M.).     Chezib  is  again  mentioned   (104  B.). 


314.  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

to  me,  and  the  King  my  lord  dispatches  Egyptian  soldiers 
(bitati)  to  his  servants,  and  the  King  my  lord  dispatches 
them  to  dwell  as  guards.  It  is  apportioned  for  my  honor." 
[108  B.,  with  the  same  salutation,  is  broken.  It  appears 
to  refer  to  dispatching  six  females,  five  chiefs,  sons  of  .  .  . 
and  five  trusty  chiefs  led  to  the  King.^^] 

109  B. —  [Begins  with  the  same  salutation  as  the  preced- 
ing, and  continues:]  "  The  message  of  the  King  my  lord, 
my  God,  my  Sun,  to  me  being  brought,  now  his  command 
they  have  done  for  the  King  my  lord  —  the  Sun  from 
heaven;  and  truly  the  King  my  lord,  my  God,  my  Sun, 
knows,  that  peaceful  is  the  land  of  the  King  my  lord  which 
is  with  me." 

110  B. —  [Begins  with  the  same  salutation  and  con- 
tinues :]  "  The  King  my  lord  shall  know.  Behold  mighty 
is  the  war  against  me,  and  against  Suardata;^^  but  the  King 
my  lord  shall  pluck  his  land  from  the  hands  of  men  of  blood. 
Since  there  are  none,  the  King  my  lord  shall  dispatch 
chariots  to  march  to  us  .  .  .  you  will  restrain  our  slaves  for 
us  .  .  .  Yankhamu  his  servant  .  .  ." 

[This  may  refer  to  the  submission  of  Gezer  to  the  Hebrews 
mentioned  in  a  letter  from  Jerusalem  (B.  103).] 

62  B.  M. —  [Begins  with  the  same  salutation  as  the  preced- 
ing, and  continues :]  "  Know,  O  King  my  lord,  the  de- 
mands made  to  me  by  Yankhamu  since  my  going  forth  from 
before  the  King  my  lord.  Lo!  he  .  .  .  let  him  take  from 
my  hands.  And  they  say  to  me  give  us  thy  wife  and  thy 
sons.  And  does  the  King  know  this  ?  And  does  the  King 
my  lord  demand  dispatch  of  chariots,  and  that  I  shall  go  to 
his  presence  ?    Nay !     Let  it  be  brought  to  nothing  by  thee." 

[70  B.  M.,  if  not  from  Gezer,  must  come  from  near  that 
town.  It  is  written  by  Takanu,  who  is  mentioned  in  connec- 
tion with  Milcilu  (149  B.)  in  a  letter  from  near  Makkedah, 
which  was  the  next  great  town  to  Gezer  on  the  south.] 

1*  This  letter  is  perhaps  explained  by  another  (104  B.),  in  which 
the  King  of  Jerusalem  sends  his  wives  to  Egypt  with  the  Egyptian 
envoy,  on  account  of  the  war  with  the  Hebrews. 

15  Chief  of  Keilah,  whose  letters  follow. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  315 

"  To  the  King  my  lord,  thus  says  Takanu,^^  thy  servant : 
at  the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord  seven  times  and  seven  times 
I  bow.  Lo!  I  am  the  King's  servant,  and  the  guard  of  the 
whole  of  my  roads  was  in  the  hands  of  my  people,  but  they 
are  now  without  refuge :  they  have  not  come  up  to  guard  my 
roads  for  the  King  my  lord ;  and  ask  the  chiefs  thy  Tarhas,^^ 
if  they  are  not  now  without  refuge  for  my  people.  Moreover, 
behold  us.  My  eyes  are  toward  thee  when  I  beseech  the  God 
of  heaven:  for  we  are  cast  from  the  land,  and  have  been 
needy.  We  have  lacked  at  thy  hand,  and  behold  this  now,  the 
guard  that  guards  my  roads  is  in  the  hands  of  a  chief  who 
hates  me  because  of  the  King  my  lord,  and  the  King  my  lord 
shall  instruct;  behold,  send  down  a  host  and  it  shall  watch." 

[Though  the  date  is  doubtful,  within  limits,  this  letter 
probably  refers  to  the  departure  of  the  Egyptian  soldiers 
mentioned  in  the  Jerusalem  letters.] 

[155  B. —  A  much-damaged  letter.  The  name  of  the 
writer  is  lost.  He  sends  the  usual  salutation,  and  speaks  of 
a  letter:  of  transgression  and  sin;  and  mentions  the  city 
Gazri  (Gezer).  He  speaks  of  the  going  down  of  the  king 
(or  casting  down),  and  of  the  Paka.     (See  note.)] 

50  B.  M. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  my  God,  my  Sun,  the 
Sun  from  the  heavens,  thus  says  Yapa'a  *^  the  chief  of  the 
city  of  Gazri  (Gezer)  thy  servant,  the  dust  of  thy  feet,  a 
chief  captain  of  thy  horse.  At  the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord 
—  the  Sun  from  the  heavens,  seven  times  and  seven  times 
bow  indeed  both  this  heart  and  this  body;  and  whatever  the 
King  my  lord  says  to  me  I  listen  to  exceeding  much.     I  am 

16  If  Takanu's  town  was  Givti,  and  Givti  was  Gibeah  of  Judah,  he 
is  referring  to  the  southern  route  by  the  Valley  of  Elah. 

17  Tarlca  instead  of  Paka.  In  Egyptian  the  word  tar  means  "  to 
drive  "  or  "  compel,"  preceding  the  sign  of  a  man  with  a  stick.  Tarka 
is  thus  apparently  an  "  overseer  "  of  the  people. 

18  Yapa'a  is  the  same  name  as  Japhia,  mentioned  as  the  King  of 
Lachish  (Josh.  x.  3),  who  was  the  enemy  of  Joshua.  He  appears  here 
as  King  of  Gezer,  and  the  King  of  Gezer  is  called  in  the  Bible  Horam 
(x.  33).  The  words  "Gezer"  and  "Lachish"  would  not  look  un- 
like in  the  writing  of  the  earlier  Hebrew  (about  the  Christian  era), 
but  it  is  not  impossible  that  the  two  towns  may  have  had  the  same 
king.     Indeed,  the  letter  seems  to  show  this,  as  Mer'ash  is  near  Lachish. 


316  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

the  King's  servant,  the  dust  of  thy  feet.  And  the  King  my 
lord  shall  learn.  Behold  the  chief  of  my  brethren;  fellows 
foreign  to  me  also  strive  for  the  city  of  Mura'azi  j^'-^  and  the 
delivery  of  the  same  is  the  demand  of  men  of  blood;  and 
now  behold  what  has  arisen  against  me,  and  counsel  as  to  thy 
land.  Let  the  King  send  to  the  chief  who  is  his  friend 
against  one  who  is  a  foe. 

49  B.  M. —  [After  the  same  salutation  from  Yapa'a,  chief 
of  Gezer,  master  of  the  horse,  the  letter  continues :]  "  I 
hear  the  message  of  the  messenger  of  the  King  my  lord  ex- 
ceeding much.  And  let  the  King  my  lord,  the  Sun  from 
heaven,  counsel  his  servant  as  to  his  land.  Now  strong  is 
the  chief  of  the  men  of  blood  against  us;  and  send  thou  to 
destroy  him,  O  King  my  lord,  for  me ;  and  will  not  the  King 
restore  from  the  hand  of  the  chief  of  bloody  ones  ?  We  are 
not  quite  made  an  end  of  by  the  chief  of  the  bloody  ones." 

51  B,  M. —  [With  the  usual  salutation  from  Yapa'a,  the 
letter  continues :]  "  Whatever  the  King  my  lord  says  to 
me  I  listen  to  him  exceedingly.  It  is  gracious.  But  as  1 
fear  what  shall  befall,  help  thou  my  region  from  the  power 
of  the  people  of  the  desert  lands.  And  now  I  hear  that  the 
Pauri  (chiefs;  see  the  Jerusalem  letter  B.  103)  of  the  King 
gather  a  multitude;  and  it  suffices  for  me.  And  they  have 
enlarged  my  heart  very  much." 

[From  these  letters  we  gather  that  there  had  been  a  with- 
drawal of  the  Egyptian  troops  about  the  time  when  the 
"  desert  people  "  attacked  Yapa'a.  That  these  desert  people 
were  the  Hebrews  under  Joshua,  who  was  the  contemporary 
of  Jahia,  we  learn  more  clearly  from  the  Jerusalem  letters. 
That  Gezer  submitted  to  them  is  also  shown  by  the  same.] 

19  Mura'azi  seems  clearly  to  be  Mer'ash,  the  Hebrew  Moresheth  Gath 
(Micah  i.  14).  The  modern  name  is  nearer  to  the  Amorite  than  to 
the  Hebrew,  having  a  guttural  at  the  end;  and,  as  in  other  cases,  the 
Amorite  "  z "  stands  for  a  Hebrew  "  s."  The  site  is  south  of  Gath, 
and  not  far  from  Lachish,  close  to  Beit  Jibrin. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  317 


Letteks  from  Jekusai^em 

105  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord  .  .  .  thus  says  Adonize- 
deck,^*^  thy  servant,  ...  at  the  feet  of  my  Lord  .  .  .  seven 
times  and  seven  times  .  .  .  Behold  Milcilu  is  not  rid  from 
the  sons  of  Labaya,  and  from  the  sons  of  Arzaya,  as  to  their 
desire  of  the  King's  land  for  themselves.  A  ruling  man  who 
makes  demand  thereof,  why  has  he  not  asked  it  of  the  King  i 
Lo!  Milcilu  and  Takanu  have  desired  the  doing  thereof. 
Lo !  he  has  marched  to  it.  Not  having  desired  to  strive  .  .  ." 
[The  lower  half  of  the  front  is  here  lost,  and  the  rest  is  on  the 
back.] 

"  So  now,  failing  those  who  were  chiefs  of  the  garrison  of 
the  King,  let  me  fly  to  the  King.^^  Truly  Ben  Piru  (or  Ben 
Carru)  has  fled  his  being  led  captive  by  my  destroyers,  he 
goes  from  the  city  'Azati  (Gaza)  :  let  him  remind  the  King 
in  his  presence  of  a  garrison  to  guard  the  land.  All  the 
King's  land  is  rebellious.  Yagu  Balaam  is  sent,  and  let  the 
King's  land  know  from  the  King's  scribe  .  .  .  Thus  says 
Adonizedek,  thy  servant,  .  .  .  the  messages." 

102  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord  is  mourning  thus  this 
Adonizedek,  thy  servant.  At  the  feet  of  my  lord,  of  the 
King,  seven  times  and  seven  times  I  bow.  What  shall  I  ask 
of  the  King  my  lord  ?  They  have  prevailed,  they  have  taken 
the  fortress  of  Jericho,^^  they  who  have  gathered  against  the 

20  The  name  of  the  King  of  Jerusalem  is  rendered  "  Abdhiba "  by 
Dr.  Winckler,  and  "  Abd  Tobba  "  by  Dr.  Sayce.  The  second  reading  is 
possible  in  all  cases  but  one  (B.  102),  when  the  sign  used  has  not  the 
syllabic  value  Toh,  but  only  EM  or  Hi.  This  would  mean  "  servant  of 
tlie  Good  One." 

21  Adonizedek  is  meditating  flight.  His  letters  speak  of  a  raid  on 
Gezer,  Ascalon,  and  as  far  as  Lachish,  after  the  taking  of  Ajalon  by 
the  Hebrews,  but  they  say  nothing  of  Makkedah.  From  the  book  of 
Joshua  we  learn  that  after  the  battle  of  Ajalon  the  Hebrews  pursued 
to  Azekah,  perhaps  the  ruin  of  Zak,  east  of  Gaza,  and  to  Makkedah 
(X.  11),  and  then  returned  to  Gilgal  (15).  An  interval  of  unstated 
duration  occurred,  while  the  five  kings,  Adonizedek,  Japhia,  Hobam, 
Piram,  and  Debir  (ver.  3),  fled  to  Makkedah,  where  they  were  found 
hid  in  a  cave.  It  was  during  this  interval,  apparently,  that  these 
Jerusalem  letters  were  written. 

22  The  sign  is  unusual.     The  words  are  icalu,  ca-ar   (Irhu)    zabbatu, 


318  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

King  of  Kings,  which  Adonizedek  has  explained  to  the  King 
his  lord.  Behold,  as  to  me,  my  father  is  not  and  my  army 
is  not.^^  The  tribe  that  has  ground  me  in  this  place  is  very 
rebellious  to  the  King,  the  same  is  struggling  with  me  for  the 
house  of  my  father.  Why  has  the  tribe  sinned  against  the 
King  my  lord  ?  Behold,  O  King  my  lord,  arise !  I  say  to  the 
Paka  (resident)  of  the  King  my  lord,  '  Why  should  you  trem- 
ble before  the  chief  of  the  'Abiri  ^^  (Hebrews)  and  the  rulers 
fear  the  end  ?  So  now  they  must  send  from  the  presence  of 
the  King  my  lord.'  Behold  I  say  that  the  land  of  the  King 
my  lord  is  ruined.  So  now  they  must  send  to  the  King  my 
lord  and  let  the  King  my  lord  know  this;  behold  the  King 
my  lord,  and  let  the  King  my  lord  know  this;  behold  the 
King  my  lord  has  placed  a  garrison  to  stop  the  way  .  .  . 
(Bel'amu  or  Yankhamu)  ...  of  kings  .  .  .  chiefs  of  the 
garrison  .  .  .  the  kings  as  a  master  to  his  land  ...  as  to 
his  land  she  has  rebelled,  the  lands  of  the  King  my  lord  — 
the  whole  of  it.  Ilimelec  ^^  cuts  off  all  the  King's  land.  And 
let  one  warn  the  King  as  to  his  land.  I  myself  speak  plead- 
ing with  the  King  my  lord  and  for  once  let  the  King  my  lord 
behold  the  entreaties.  And  the  wars  are  mighty  against  me, 
and  I  am  not  receiving  any  pledge  from  the  King  my  lord. 
And  let  an  order  return  from  the  King  my  lord.  Whether 
will  he  not  order  chiefs  for  garrison  ?  And  let  him  be  kind, 
and  let  the  King  my  lord  regard  the  entreaties.  This  tribe, 
behold,  O  King  my  lord,  has  risen  up.  Lo,  the  Paha  they 
have  expelled.  I  say  the  lands  of  the  King  my  lord  are 
ruined.     Dost  not  thou  hear  this  same  of  me?     They  have 

or  perhaps  icalu-ca  ar(unu)  sabbatu.  The  latter  would  mean  "They 
prevail  over  thee;  they  have  been  swift  to  seize." 

23  "  I  have  no  father  and  no  army."  It  either  means  this  or  "  Have 
I  no  father  and  no  friend?"  It  might  refer  to  his  father's  death,  or 
to  the  King  of  Egypt  not  being  his  father  and  friend.  Dr.  Sayce  ren- 
ders "neither  father  nor  mother"  {sal  um  for  rag  um)  ;  but  it  is 
very  unusual  for  Orientals  to  refer  to  their  female  relations  or  wives, 
though  in  the  case  of  the  King  of  Accho  (95  B.)  the  writer  speaks  of 
his  wife;  but  this  for  a  special  reason   (see  also  104  B.). 

24'"Abiri."     This  is  read  by  others  "Habiri"    ("allies"). 

25  Ilimelec  is  a  name  found  in  the  Bible  (Ruth  i.  2;  ii.  1)  as  the 
name  of  Ruth's  fathcr-in-Iaw,  a  native  of  Bethlehem,  in  the  time  of 
the  Judges.     It  is  therefore  a  Hebrew  name. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  3l9 

destroyed  all  the  rulers.  There  is  no  ruler  now,  0  King  my 
lord.  Let  the  King  give  his  countenance  to  the  chiefs ;  and 
whether  shall  the  chiefs  of  the  Egyptian  soldiers  {hitati) 
remain  at  rest  ?  They  have  lingered,  O  King  my  lord.  The 
lands  are  failing  to  the  King  my  lord.  The  Hebrew  chiefs 
plunder  all  the  King's  lands.  Since  the  chiefs  of  the  Egyp- 
tian soldiers  {hitati)  have  gone  away  quitting  the  lands  this 
year,  O  King  my  lord,  and  since  there  is  no  chief  of  the 
Egyptian  soldiers  {hitati)  there  is  ruin  to  the  lands  of  the 
King  my  lord.  They  have  ...  0  King  my  lord,  and 
Adonizedek  is  dust,  .  .  .  messages  are  asked  of  the  King  my 
lord,  there  is  destruction  by  the  foe  of  the  lands  of  the  King 
my  lord." 

[This  letter,  like  others,  clearly  indicates  a  withdrawal  of 
the  Egyptian  troops  shortly  before  the  appearance  of  the 
Hebrews.  ] 

106  B. —  [The  salutation  is  broken,  but  is  the  same  as 
before  —  from  Adonizedek.  The  text  continues:]  ".  .  . 
which  have  done  for  me  Milcilu,  and  Suardata  ^^  for  the  land 
of  the  King  my  lord.  They  have  hired  soldiers  of  the  city  of 
Gezer,  soldiers  of  the  city  Givti,^^  and  soldiers  of  the  city 
Kielti.^^  They  have  gone  out  to  (or  seized)  the  city  of 
Rubute.^®  The  King's  land  rebels  to  the  chiefs  of  the  He- 
brews, and  now  against  this  capital  city  U-ru-sa-lim  (Jeru- 
salem) the  city  called  Beth  Baalath,^^  a  neighbor  of  the  city 
of  the  King  —  has  rebelled,  to  delay  the  chiefs  of  the  city 
of  Kielti.  Let  the  King  hear  as  to  Adonizedek ;  and  will  not 
he  order  Egyptian  soldiers  {hitati),  and  shall  not  the  King's 

26  Milcilu  was  the  King  of  Gezer,  and  Suardata  of  Keilah;  his  let- 
ters follow.  This  represents  the  league  of  kings  before  the  battle  of 
Ajalon. 

27  Givti  is  probably  one  of  the  Gibeahs,  perhaps  Gibeah  of  Judah, 
now  Jeb'a,  southwest  of  Jerusalem,  in  the  direction  of  Keilah  (Josh. 
XV.  57). 

28  Kielti  is  Keilah  (Josh.  xv.  44),  now  Kilah,  east  of  the  Valley  of 
Elah,  in  the  direction  of  Hebron. 

29  Rubute  is  Rabbah  of  Judah,  now  the  ruin  Rubba,  in  the  same  dis- 
trict, four  miles  east  of  Beit  Jibrin   (Josh.  xv.  60). 

30  Beth  Baalath  is  probably  Baalath  of  Judah,  the  old  name  of  Kir- 
jath  Jearim,  now  Erma,  in  the  Valley  of  Sorek. 


320  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

land  turn  to  the  King  ?  And  because  there  are  no  Egyptian 
soldiers  the  King's  land  has  rebelled  to  the  chiefs  of  the  tribe 
of  the  Hebrews.  They  have  demanded  to  dwell  in  the  same 
with  me.  They  have  gone  out  against  (or  seized)  Milcilu 
.  .  .  and  the  city  .  .  .  And  let  the  King  do  justice  to  (or 
purify)  his  land." 

104  B. —  [The  same  salutation  from  Adonizedek.  He 
continues :]  "  Lo  !  the  King  my  lord  has  established  his  law 
from  the  rising  of  the  Sun  to  the  going  down  of  the  Sun.  He 
is  a  flatterer  who  deceives  as  to  me.  Lo!  am  not  I  a  ruler 
myself,  a  man  allied  to  the  King  my  lord  ?  Lo !  I  myself  am 
a  good  chief  of  the  King,  and  I  have  sent  tribute  to  the  King. 
There  is  no  chief  to  join  me,  and  my  friends  (or  army)  fail ; 
they  have  been  fighting  for  the  King  mightily.  I  remain 
...  in  this  Beth  Amilla  ^^  .  .  .  from  before  me  thirteen 
...  I  am  giving  ten  slaves  .  .  .  Suuta  the  King's  Paha 
(resident)  takes  charge  from  before  me  of  twenty-one  slave 
women.  Twenty  chiefs  who  remain  trusty  to  my  hand  Sutta 
has  led  away  to  the  King  my  lord,^^  which  the  King  advises 
to  his  country.  The  whole  of  the  King's  country,  which  is 
seized  from  me,  is  ruined.  They  have  fought  against  me  as 
far  as  the  lands  of  Seeri  (Seir)  ^^  as  far  as  the  city  Givti 
Kirmil  (Gibeah  of  Carmel).^'*  They  have  banded  together 
against  all  the  chiefs  of  the  governments,  and  they  have 
fought  with  me.  Behold  I,  the  chief  of  the  lords  (or  of  the 
Amorites),  am  breaking  to  pieces,^^  and  the  King  my  lord 
does  not  regard  entreaties,  while  they  have  fought  against  me 
unceasingly.     Behold,  array,  O  mighty  King,  a  fleet  in  the 

31  Beth  Amilla  is  evidently  the  Beth  ham  Millo  of  the  Bible  (2  Sam. 
V.  9)  ;  "  house  of  the  ciiief,"'  as  we  now  know.  It  was  the  royal  palace 
in  the  lower  city  (Akra),  north  of  Zion.  There  was  also  a  Millo  in 
Shechem   (Judges  i.\.  6,  20),  evidently  the  palace  of  that  city. 

32  When  Adonizedek  sent  away  his  women  he  was  preparing  for  his 
own  flight,  by  the  advice,  it  would  seem,  of  Egypt.  The  Egyptian  resi- 
dent also  retired. 

3"*  This  shows  the  enemy  as  coming  from  iVIount  Seir  or  Edom. 

3*  This  "Givti"  would  seem  to  be  one  of  the  Gibealis,  unless  we 
should  read  "  Gimtzi  "  as  before. 

s''  Perliaps  this  is  capable  of  being  rendered,  "  I  am  breaking  to 
piccea;   the  chief  is  becoming  master." 


A  HUMAN  SACRIFICE  TO  BAAL. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  321 

midst  of  the  sea.  Thou  shalt  march  to  our  land,  the  land  of 
Nahrima  and  the  land  of  Cazib,  and  behold  these  are 
fortresses  of  the  King.^°  Thou  shalt  march  against  the 
chieftains  of  the  Hebrew.  There  is  not  a  single  ruler  for 
the  King  my  lord.  They  have  destroyed  all.  Lo  Tuur- 
bazu  ^"^  is  slaughtered  .  .  . :  in  the  great  pass  of  the  city  of 
Ziluu  ^^  they  have  bowed  down.  Behold  Zimridi  of  the  city 
of  Lachish.  The  slaves  have  subjected  him;  they  have  done 
as  they  chose  ^'^  .  .  .  The  region  of  Eimmon  ^'^  laments: 
slaughter  is  in  the  midst  ...  the  fort  of  Zilu  is  overthrown 
...  let  the  King  take  heed  ...  let  the  King  give  his  coun- 
tenance to  .  .  .  Egyptian  soldiers  to  the  land  .  .  .  Since 
there  are  no  Egyptian  soldiers  in  this  same  year  destruction 
has  destroyed  the  people  of  all  the  lands  of  the  King  my  lord. 
Do  not  they  say  to  the  face  of  the  King  my  lord,  '  Behold  the 
land  of  the  King  my  lord  has  been  ruined,  and  all  the  rulers 
have  been  slain,  within  this  same  year  '  ?  Will  the  King  not 
order  his  Paha  ?  And  let  the  fleet  come  to  me  as  helpers,  and 
let  them  take  care  of  the  port  with  the  King  commanding 
...  to  the  scribe  of  the  King  my  lord.  Lo !  Adonizedek  is 
his  servant  at  his  feet  he  bows.  Translate  the  messages 
now  to  the  King.     I  am  thy  .  .  .  myself." 

103  B. —  [The  salutation  is  much  broken,  but  part  of  the 
name  of  Adonizedek  is  left.  It  then  speaks  of  messages,  and 
continues :]  "  Let  him  know  that  they  have  fought  all  the 
lands  that  have  been  at  peace  with  me ;  and  let  me  warn  the 
King  as  to  his  land.     Lo !  the  land  of  the  city  of  Gezer,  and 

30  What  is  meant  is  that  the  Egyptians,  having  come  by  sea  to  Asca- 
lon  or  Gaza,  are  to  march  to  Jerusalem  by  the  Valley  of  Elah,  the 
highway  by  which  the  Philistines  came  up  against  Saul.  Cazib 
(Chezib)    is  in  this  valley,  now  'Ain  Kezbeh. 

37 "  Tu-ur  ba-zu "  appears  to  be  spelled  phonetically,  but  does  not 
sound  like  a  Semitic  name.  If  it  were  taken  as  an  ideogram  it  might 
be  rendered  "  Ben  Zicaru." 

88 "  Zelah "  has  been  proposed.  There  were  two  Zelahs,  one  being 
Petra,  the  other  north  of  Jerusalem  (now  probably  the  ruin  of  Salah)  ; 
it  appears  to  me  more  probable  that  Shiloh  is  intended. 

3'J  There  was  a  siege  of  Lachish  by  Joshua   (Josh.  x.  33). 

40  Rimmon  is  probably  the  Rimmon  of  Benjamin,  not  far  south  of 
Shiloh,  now  the  village  of  Rummon   (Judges  xx.  45,  etc.). 
VOL.  I.— 21. 


322  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

the  land  of  the  city  of  Ascalon,  and  the  land  of  the  city  of 
Lachish  they  have  given  (or  settled)  for  themselves.  Corn 
and  oil  (or  fruit),  and  all  things,  this  race  has  altogether 
gathered.  And  let  me  warn  the  King  as  to  Egyptian  sol- 
diers. Will  not  he  order  Egyptian  soldiers  against  the  chiefs 
who  have  done  wrong  to  the  King  my  lord  ?  Since  within 
this  year  the  Egyptian  soldiers  have  gone  away,  and  quit  the 
lands,  the  ruler  of  the  King  my  lord  —  since  there  were  no 
Egyptian  soldiers  —  is  brought  to  naught.  Yea  and  the 
rulers  of  the  King  .  .  .  Behold  the  land  of  the  city  of  Jeru- 
salem.^^ No  man  is  my  subject.  No  people  is  subject  to 
me.  His  tribe  is  arrayed  (or  prepared).  They  are  not  sub- 
ject to  me.  Lo !  my  desire  is  the  same  as  the  desire  of  Mil- 
cilu  and  the  desire  of  the  sons  of  Labaya,  that  the  chiefs  of 
the  Hebrews  be  subject  to  the  King's  land.  Lo!  the  King 
my  lord  will  be  just  to  me,  because  the  chiefs  are  sorcerers.^^ 
let  the  King  ask  his  Pakas  or  let  one  ask  of  the  King's  Pakas. 
Lo  he  is  strong,  very  determined  and  men  have  feared.  The 
sinful  fort  (or  camp)  is  very  arrogant.  They  have  burst 
forth  from  their  pasture  (or  border)  and  ...  to  the  land  of 
the  habitation  of  the  people  night  .  .  .  Will  not  there  be 
sent  from  the  land  of  Egypt  ?  .  .  .  soldiers :  thou  shalt  come 
up  with  ...  let  the  servants  be  defended  ...  to  them. 
The  tribe  is  pouring  out  .  .  .  lands  from  the  city  of  Asca- 
lon.  Let  the  King  ask  about  them.  Plenty  of  com,  plenty 
of  fruit  (or  oil),  plenty  .  .  .  Up  to  the  province  of  my 
Lord  Pauru''^  the  King's  Paka  for  the  land  of  the  city  of 
Jerusalem  my  foe  is  rebelling.     Up  to  the  chiefs  of  the  gar- 

♦1  The  name  spelled  in  other  cases  "  U-ru-sa-lim "  is  here  spelled 
"  Uru-sa-lim,"  showing  that  the  usual  explanation,  "  city  of  peace,"  is 
probable. 

*2  Casipi.  It  has  been  read  Casia  ("  Cushites  "),  but  the  word  before 
is  in  the  plural,  and  the  plural  could  not  end  in  "a."  Any  great  suc- 
cess is  still  attributed  to  sorcery  in  the  East.  It  may,  however,  only 
mean  "  malicious,"  according  to  its  use  in  Hebrew. 

<3  There  was  an  Egyptian  known  to  history  who  bore  the  name  of 
Paur  (Brugsch,  "Hist."  i.  p.  462)  ;  he  was  a  governor  in  Nubia,  some- 
what later  than  the  present  events.  The  name,  however,  must  have 
been  common,  since  Paur  stands  for  Paka  in  some  cases.  It  has  been 
already  explained  as  an  Egyptian  word. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  323 

rison  this  chief  has  surged  up.  Let  the  King's  foe  perish  by 
the  King  .  .  .  for  me  my  foe  .  .  .  revolted  from  me.  Do 
not  desert  this  .  .  .  send  me  a  chief  of  garrison  —  a  PaJca 
of  the  King,  dispatched  to  this  thy  people.  The  women  are 
dispatched  '*^  to  the  King  my  lord  with  men  who  have  been 
upright.  Four  messengers  *^  ...  to  go  out.  The  chiefs 
of  the  fort  (or  camp)  are  closing  the  roads  of  the  pass  .  .  . 
the  tribe  who  have  caused  the  destruction  of  the  city  of 
Ajalon.^^  Let  this  be  known  to  the  King  my  lord.  Have 
not  I  shown  the  people  dispatched  a  road  for  the  King, 
though  it  is  not  easy  ?  '^^  Lo !  the  King  my  lord  has  estab- 
lished his  law  in  the  land  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem  forever, 
and  is  not  the  desertion  of  the  lands  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem 
manifest  ?  To  the  scribe  of  the  King  my  lord,  this  lamenta- 
tion, thus  speaks  Adonizedek,  thy  servant  —  the  afflicted. 
Translate  the  messages  well  to  the  King  my  lord.  O,  scribe 
of  the  King  my  lord,  I  am  afflicted,  greatly  am  I  afflicted. 
And  thou  shalt  perform  the  desire  of  our  people  before  the 
chiefs  of  the  land  of  Cush  (Casi).^^  Truly  is  not  there 
slaughter  with  us  ?  Thou  shalt  make  it  .  .  .  clear  to  the 
chiefs  of  the  land  of  Cush  (Casi)  .  .  .  midst  of  my  land  the 
people  to  take  .  .  .  the  King  to  .  .  .  seven  times  and  seven 
times  .  .  .  my  lord  to  me  .  .  ." 

[199  B.  appears  to  be  from  Adonizedek,  and  speaks  of 
Jerusalem.  Only  the  lower  third  of  the  tablet  remains. 
The  clay  is  different  to  that  of  the  preceding,  and  it  may 
have  been  written  after  the  city  was  left.] 

44  The  participle  is  feminine. 

45  There  had  been  four  previous  letters,  agreeing  with  my  arrange- 
ment. 

4G  Ajalon  (now  Yalo)  is  at  the  foot  of  the  Bethhoron  Pass,  where 
the  battle  against  the  five  kings  occurred.  The  women  were  apparently 
sent  away  before  the  battle  of  Ajalon,  after  whicli  the  easiest  road  to 
the  plains,  by  Bethhoron  and  Ajalon,  was  closed.  The  flight  of  Adonize- 
dek took  place,  according  to  the  Biblical  account,  after  the  battle  of 
Ajalon,  while  Joshua  was  at  Gilgal,  where  the  news  was  brought. 

47  This  appears  to  be  the  meaningr.  and  refers  to  the  road,  mentioned 
in  the  last  letter,  by  the  Valley  of  Elah  —  less  easy  than  that  by  Ajalon. 

48  Casi,  or  Cush,  as  in  Egyptian  records,  appears  to  mean  upper 
Egypt.  See  what  has  been  said  as  to  this  name  in  Ribadda'a  let- 
ter  (61  B.). 


324;  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

"  And  lo  now !  the  city  of  Jerusalem  when  these  went  away 
from  the  land  was  faithful  to  the  King.  Lo!  the  city  of 
Gaza  has  remained  to  the  King,  Behold  the  land  of  Harti 
Cirmiel  ^^  belonging  to  Takanu  and  the  men  of  the  city 
Givti,^*^  they  have  bowed  down,  going  away  from  the  land 
quietly.  And  truly  we  do  so  (or,  but  whether  we  do  so). 
Behold  Labaya!  ^^  and  the  land  Salabimi  ^^  are  inhabited  by 
the  Hebrew  chiefs.  Milcilu  has  sent  for  tribute  ^^  and  the 
fellows  say  '  Have  we  not  indeed  dwelt  in  (or  spoiled)  this 
land  i '  They  are  adjudging  all  that  they  desire  to  the  men 
of  the  city  of  Keilah.  And  truly  we  are  leaving  the  city  of 
Jerusalem.  The  chiefs  of  the  garrison  have  left  —  without 
an  order  —  through  the  wastings  of  this  fellow  whom  I  fear. 
These  march  to  Addasi.^^  He  has  remained  in  his  land  (or 
camp)  in  the  city  of  Gaza  .  .  .  women  ...  to  the  land  of 
Egypt  ..." 

Lettees  of  the  Lady  Basmath 

137  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  my  God,  my  Sun,  by  let- 
ter thus  says  the  Lady  whose  name  is  Basmatu,^^  thy  hand- 
maid. At  the  feet  of  the  King  my  lord,  my  God,  my  Sun, 
seven  times  seven  times  I  bow.     Know,  O  King  my  lord, 

49  Harti  Cirmiel  is  evidently  Hareth  Carmel,  representing  the  Hebron 
country  from  Hareth  (Kharas),  on  the  northwest,  above  the  Valley  of 
Elah,  to  Carmel  of  Judah  on  the  southeast.  This  would  agree  with 
placing  Givti  at  Jeb'a. 

50  Apparently  the  southern  Gibeah  of  Judah,  mentioned  before  ( 106 
B.).  Dr.  Sayce  reads  Gath,  but  when  Gath  is  mentioned  it  is  called 
Giti   (154  B."). 

51  Labaya  may  mean,  according  to  a  common  form  of  expression,  the 
land  of  Labaya. 

52  Salabimi,  Shaalbim  (Judges  i.  3.5;  1  Kings  iv.  9),  or  Shaalab- 
bin  (Josh.  xix.  42),  is  probably  Selbit,  lying  southeast  of  Lydda,  near 
Ajalon. 

53  In  Judges  i.  3.5  we  read  of  the  Amorites  remaining  in  this  district. 

54  This  name  may  be  read  various  ways,  as  "  Addamaru  "  or  "  Abu 
Amaru."  Perhaps  the  name  "  Ithamar  "  may  be  compared  (Exod.  vi. 
23;   xxviii.   1).     See  also  Yabitiri  of  Joppa    (Abiather). 

55  "Basmath,"  meaning  "balsam"  or  "sweet,"  was  no  doubt  a  com- 
mon woman's  name.  It  occurs  as  the  name  of  Ishmael's  daughter 
whom  Esau  married  (Gen.  xxxvi.  3,  4,  13),  and  as  that  of  one  of  Solo- 
mon's daughters   (1  Kings  iv.  15). 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  325 

behold !  there  has  been  war  in  the  land,  and  the  land  of  the 
King  my  lord  has  been  wearied  by  rebels,  by  men  of  blood. 
And  know,  O  King,  as  to  his  land,  and  know  my  foolishness 
(or  disgrace).  Behold  the  men  (or  chiefs)  of  blood  have 
sent  to  the  city  of  Ajalon,  and  to  the  city  of  Zar'a  (Zorah),^*^ 
and  this  is  to  show  that  there  is  no  place  of  refuge  for  the 
two  sons  of  Milcilu;  and  know,  O  King  my  lord,  this 
request." 

138  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  my  God,  my  Sun,  by  let- 
ter thus  says  the  Lady  whose  name  is  Basmatu,  thy  hand- 
maid, the  dust  of  thy  feet,  and  at  the  feet  of  the  King  my 
lord,  my  God,  my  Sun,  seven  times  seven  times  I  bow.  Let 
the  King  my  lord  pluck  his  land  from  the  hands  of  the  men 
of  blood.  Am  not  I  tired  marching  to  the  town  of  Zabuba ; 
and  because  of  not  resting,  O  King  my  lord  ?  " 

[There  is  only  one  place  in  Palestine  called  Zabuba;  it  is 
the  Sububa  of  the  fourteenth  century,  the  modern  Ezbuba, 
south  of  Taanach,  west  of  the  plain  of  Esdraelon.  Poor 
Basmath  had  to  go  some  sixty  miles  by  road  to  reach  it  from 
her  home.  This  interesting  little  letter,  which  shows  she  was 
not  one  of  the  ladies  sent  to  Egypt,  though  probably  a  person 
of  importance,  seems  perhaps  to  indicate  that  the  central  part 
of  the  country,  from  which  no  appeals  for  help  occur  in  the 
letters,  was  undisturbed.  The  Amorite-IIittite  league  came 
down  to  Bashan  and  to  Tyre,  but  not  apparently  as  far  as 
Accho.  The  Hebrews,  on  the  other  hand,  coming  from 
Seir,  are  said  to  have  gone  as  far  north  as  Eimmon  and 
Shiloh,  but  were  mainly  fighting  southward  from  Ajalon. 
Between  the  two  theaters  of  war  lay  the  whole  of  Samaria 
and  lower  Galilee,  in  which  Basmath  found  a  refuge.] 

Other  Lettees  fkom  the  South  of  Palestine 

136  B. — "  To  the  King  my  lord,  my  God,  the  Sun  from 
heaven,  by  letter  thus  says  Yamirdagan,  thy  servant:  at  the 
feet  of  the  King  my  lord,  seven  times  seven  times  I  bow.  I 
hear  the  message  of  the  King  my  lord  to  me,  and  now  I  will 

56  Zorah,  now  Sur'ah  (Josh.  xix.  41;  Judges  xiii.  2,  etc.),  was  not 
far  south  of  Ajalon,  and  near  Gezer  on  the  southeast. 


826  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

guard  the  city  of  the  King  my  lord  till  the  coming  of  a  mes- 
sage of  the  King  my  lord  for  me." 

[Comparing  the  name  with  that  of  Dagontacala  of  Asca- 
lon   it  appears  that  this  writer  was  probahly  a  Philistine.] 

[151  B. —  A  letter  from  the  "  Chief  of  the  town  Xaziba  " 
to  say  he  goes  with  his  chariots  and  horses  to  meet  the  King's 
soldiers.  This  place  must,  therefore,  have  been  in  or  near 
the  plains.  It  may  be  the  Nezib  of  the  Bible  (Josh.  xv.  43), 
now  Beit  Xusib,  eight  miles  northwest  of  Hebron,  close  to 
Keilah.  The  chariots  could  easily  reach  this  vicinity  from 
the  plain,  by  the  broad  flat  highway  of  the  Valley  of  Elah.  ] 

55  B.  il. —  [With  the  usual  salutation,  Ben  Addu,  captain 
of  the  King's  horse,  says :]  "  'Now  they  watch  the  land  of 
the  King  my  lord  exceedingly.  And  who  am  I  —  a  dog  .  .  . 
He  will  hear  the  messages  of  the  King  my  lord  and  of  the 
Ka-pa  (for  Paha)  of  the  King  my  lord.  To  Sagusi  Khasi, 
.  .  .  thus  says  Ben  Addu:  I  bow  at  thy  feet.  All  is  failing. 
So  now  those  who  are  our  friends  are  fleeing  to  the  King; 
will  not  he  dispatch  ...  the  road  .  .  .  Now  they  guard 
the  road:  it  is  cleared  for  thee." 

56  B.  M. —  [The  usual  salutation  from  Ben  Addu,  of  the 
city  of  Pitazza ;  continues :]  "  Xow  they  guard  the  city, 
and  the  land  of  the  King  my  lord,  the  Sun  from  heaven :  all 
that  the  King  has  said  they  watch  —  the  allies.  And  the 
decree  of  the  message  of  the  King  my  lord,  Bel  Anapa  ( Baal 
Anubis)  the  PaJca  of  the  King  my  lord  has  uttered.  The 
King  my  lord  is  mighty  as  the  Sun  in  heaven.  Whom  I  but 
a  dog,  and  shall  such  a  one  not  mind  the  message  of  the  King 
my  lord  the  Sun  from  heaven  ?  " 


EGYAL  LETTERS 

Duseatta's  Letters 

No.  9  B.  M.— "To  Neb-mat-ra  (Amenophis  III.),  King 
of  Egv'pt,  my  brother,  by  letter,  thus  Tuseratta  ^  King  of 

1  "  Tuser  Atta,"  a  Mongol  name,  "  father  of  conquest."     Arta  Sumara 
appears  to  mean  "  destroying  hero." 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  327 

Mitani,^  thy  brother.  I  am  at  peace.  Peace  be  to  thee;  to 
Gilukhipa,  my  sister,  be  peace.  To  thy  house,  thy  wives, 
thy  sons,  thy  lords,  thy  terrible  army,  thy  horses,  thy  chariots, 
and  in  thy  land,  be  much  peace.  Since  I  have  sat  on  my 
father's  throne,  and  have  conquered.  But  Pirkhi  made  a 
lawless  command  in  my  land,  and  smote  his  lord;  and  be- 
cause of  these  things  they  have  striven  to  right  me,  with  who 
so  loved  us  well ;  and  because  my  land  submitted  to  this  law- 
less order  I  was  not  afraid,  but  the  chiefs  who  supported 
Artasumara,  my  brother,  with  all  that  were  theirs,  I  slew. 
As  thou  wast  well  with  my  father,  and  because  of  these  things, 
I  send  this.  I  say  to  you,  as  my  brother  hears,  and  will 
rejoice ;  my  father  loved  thee,  and  thou,  therefore,  didst  love 
my  father;  and  my  father,  as  he  saw  this,  gave  thee  my 
sister;  and  now  ...  as  thou  wast  with  my  father.  When 
my  brother  saw  these  things,  he  brought  all  those  in  the  land 
of  the  Hittites  as  foes  to  my  land ;  and  Rimmon  my  lord  gave 
them  to  my  hand ;  and  I  slew  him  among  them,  so  that  not  one 
returned  to  his  land.^  Now  I  have  sent  thee  a  chariot  with 
two  horses,  a  young  man  and  a  young  woman,  of  the  spoil  of 
the  land  of  the  Hittites.  I  have  sent  thee,  as  a  present  to  my 
brother,  five  chariots,  and  five  yoke  of  horses ;  and  as  a  pres- 
ent to  Gilukhipa,'*  my  sister,  I  have  sent  her  trinkets  of  gold, 
a  pair  of  gold  earrings,  and  ...  of  gold,  and  goodly  stones, 
each.  Now  Gilia,  a  prudent  man,  and  Tunipripi,^  I  send 
to  my  brother ;  speedily  let  him  reply  to  me ;  so  I  shall  hear 
my  brother's  salutation,  and  shall  rejoice.  Let  my  brother 
wish  me  well ;  and  let  my  brother  send  envoys :  so  my 
brother's  salutation  shall  come  to  me,  and  I  shall  hear."  ® 

2Mitani  or  Matiene  (Herod,  i.  72,  189,  202;  iii.  94;  v.  49,  52;  vii. 
72)  extended  from  the  sources  of  the  Araxes  to  the  Halys  River,  and 
thus  included  all  Armenia  west  of  Lake  Van:  other  names  for  the 
region  were,  the  "Land  of  Khani  Rabbe  "  (or  Khani  Rabbatu)  and  the 
"Land  of  the  Minyans."     (See  27  B.) 

3  The  Hittites  clearly  did  not  live  in  Matiene,  but  in  the  adjacent 
country  of  northern  Syria. 

4  "  Gilukhipa,"  a  Mongol  name,  "  possessing  glory." 

8  "  Gilia  "  and  "  Tunipripi,"  Mongol  names,  "  glorious  "  and  "  very 
reliable." 

6  This  may  be  dated  late  in  the  reign  of  Amenophis  III.,  as  Dusratta 
survived  him. 


328  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

22  B. —  [The  salutation  calls  Amenophis  III.  his  "  kins- 
man," but  does  not  name  his  sister.] 

"  Mani,  my  brother's  envoy,  has  come  to  honor  me :  to  take 
my  brother's  wife,  the  Queen  of  Egypt  ;^  and  I  received  the 
letter  that  came:  I  learned  the  declaration  of  his  order. 
My  heart  has  been  much  gladdened  by  my  brother's  message, 
as  my  brother  will  see;  and  it  rejoiced  that  day  exceeding 
much:  that  day  and  night  they  made  rejoicings. 

"  And,  my  brother,  all  the  message  that  Mani  came  to 
bring  has  been  performed.  This  same  year  behold,  my 
brother,  I  will  ...  his  wife,  the  Queen  of  Egypt,  and  I  will 
send  .  .  .  henceforth  the  land  of  Khanirabbe  and  the  land  of 
Egypt.  And  because  of  these  things  that  Mani  has  spoken, 
I  send  back,  my  brother,  Gilia  and  Mani  with  speed,  to  .  .  • 
these  things;  and  let  not  my  brother  blame  them  ...  as 
to  delay  in  being  dispatched ;  for  there  was  no  delay  to  .  .  . 
for  my  brother's  wife;  and  lo!  delay  is  .  .  .  In  the  sixth 
month  I  have  sent  Gilia  my  envoy,  and  Mani  my  brother's 
envoy:  I  will  send  my  brother's  wife  to  my  brother.  So 
may  Ishtar,  the  Lady  of  Ladies,  my  Goddess,  and  Amanu,^ 
my  brother's  God,  give  peace  ...  I  have  sent  to  my  brother ; 
and  my  brother  as  .  .  .  increased  his  love  very  much,  and 
...  as  the  heart  of  my  brother  was  satisfied ;  and  ...  for 
our  children  my  brother  .  .  .  more  than  before  ...  I  have 
dispatched  Khai,  my  brother,  trusting  his  .  .  .  and  I  give 
the  letter  to  his  hands  .  .  .  and  let  him  bear  his  message 
...  I  have  sent  .  .  .  going  to  my  brother  ...  my  brother, 
are  not  his  soldiers  .  .  ." 

[The  next  five  lines  referring  to  the  wife  are  too  broken 
to  read.     The  back  of  the  tablet  continues :] 

".  .  .  which  my  brother  sent  ...  all  that  my  brother  has 
caused  to  be  collected  ...  in  presence  of  all  of  them  they 
have  been  given  us  .  .  .  all  these  things,  beyond  expectation 
thereof,  and  the  gold  .  .  .  which  they  have  paid  —  and  he 
has  indeed  lavished  very  much  .  .  .  them,  any  or  all  these 
things;  was  not  the  gold  .  .  .     They  say,  'In  the  land  of 

7  Possibly  Queen  Teie  or  Thi. 

8  Amanu,  the  Egyptian  god  Amen. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  329 

Egypt  there  is  plenty  more  gold  for  thee,  my  brother,  because 
he  loves  thee  very  much  .  .  .  and  will  love,  and  being  so,  is 
not  there,  behold,  an}i;hing  needful,  anything  beside,  from 
the  land  of  Egypt  in  addition  ?  So  send  to  me,  accordingly, 
him  by  whom  these  are  given,  and  there  shall  be  no  lack.' 
Thus  indeed,  said  I,  '  As  to  anything  further,  do  not  I  say 
to  your  faces  —  He  loves  me,  and  my  land,  exceeding  much, 
does  this  King  of  Egypt  ? ' 

"  And  my  brother  has  taken  me  to  his  heart :  all  is  as  my 
heart  desired ;  and  is  it  not  understood ;  when  he  sends  shall 
not  I  hasten  me  for  my  brother :  shall  not  I  increase  in  long- 
ing toward  my  brother :  as  my  brother  does  also  ?  Mani,  my 
brother's  envoy,  has  brought  my  brother's  .  .  .  which  was 
with  Mani.  I  have  honored  their  .  .  .  and  I  have  honored 
them  very  much.  Now  Mani  will  take  this ;  and  my  brother 
we  direct  him  to  .  .  .  how  I  have  received  from  him  very 
much :  he  will  tell  my  brother  this,  and  my  brother  will  hear 
what  we  have  done,  as  I  have  sent  list  of  gifts  of  this  and 
that,  and  he  shall  not  refuse  it. 

"  And  may  my  brother  send  untold  gold ;  and  may  my 
father's  power  increase  with  me,  as  my  brother  has  increased 
n  y  favor,  as  my  brother  has  cherished  me  much,  in  the  sight 
of  my  country,  in  the  sight  of  the  whole  of  my  brethren. 
May  Rimmon  and  Amanu  appoint  that  my  brother's  wishes 
be  ever  fulfilled ;  and  for  myself,  my  brother,  that  my  wishes 
may  be  fulfilled,  as  men  whom  the  Sun-god  loves.  And  so 
now  the  gods  shall  indeed  decree  for  us  this  prayer,  ...  we 
shall  join  as  friends  forever, 

"  For  my  brother's  present  I  have  sent  to  my  brother  a 
double-edged  weapon  .  .  .  and  of  emeralds,  and  pure  gold 
.  .  .  enclosed  in  a  box,  and  ...  of  alabaster,  and  pure  gold, 
for  a  box  ..." 

21  B. — "  To  Amenophis  III.,  the  great  King,  King  of 
Egypt,  my  brother,  my  kinsman  ^  whom  I  love,  and  who  loves 

9  The  word  Khatanu  means  any  kinsman  by  marriage,  and  emu  is 
still  used  generally  of  any  "  kinsman "  or  even  for  "  friend."  Some 
have  translated  "  son-in-law  "  and  "  father-in-law,"  but  the  latter  word 
would  be  khamu,  not  emu.  Dusratta  was  the  father-in-law  of  Amen- 
ophis IV.,  but  brother-in-law  of  Amenophis  III. 


330  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

me,  by  letter  thus  Dusratta,  the  great  King,  King  of  Mitani, 
thy  brother,   thy  kinsman  who   also  loves  thee.     I   am   at 

peace,"  etc. 

"  To  my  brother  whom  I  love  I  have  given  his  young 
wife.^"  May  the  Sun-god  and  Ishtar  .  .  .  her  face.  As 
my  brother  desires:  may  .  .  .  and  may  my  brother  rejoice, 
in  the  day  when  ...  the  Sun-god  and  the  God  .  .  .  giving 
joy  to  my  noble  brother,  ...  let  them  grant  it  to  be  .  .  . 
and  may  my  brother  .  .  .  forever. 

"  Mani,  my  brother's  envoy,  and  Khanni,^^  my  brother's 
interpreter,  as  you  cause  them  to  be  sent,  plenty  of  provisions 
I  shall  give  them  .  .  .  them  much ;  as  they  performed  their 
orders  I  made  all  the  people  protect  them.  If  they  do  not, 
may  my  gods,  and  my  brother's  gods,  giiard  them.  Now  I 
have  sent  Nahramani,  who  is  careful  in  my  brother's  affairs, 
and  I  have  sent  an  ornament  of  precious  stones  —  of  precious 
stones  and  gold,  as  a  present  to  my  brother;  and  may  my 
brother  be  granted  to  live  a  hundred  years." 

8  B.  M. —  [The  salutation  is  the  same  as  before,  but  the 
writer's  name  is  spelled  "  Tusratta  "  instead  of  Dusratta. 
The  letter  is  the  best  preserved  in  the  whole  collection.] 

"  Since  your  forefathers  were  friendly  with  my  fore- 
fathers, thou  therefore  wast  very  greatly  friendly  with  my 
father.  So  you  love  me :  we  are  zealous  friends.  Ten  times 
more  you  increase  it  than  to  my  father.  The  heavenly  gods 
shall  decree  that  we  shall  be  friends.  May  Rimmon  my  God, 
and  Amanu,  so  pronounce,  even  forever. 

"  And  so  my  brother  sent  Mani  his  envoy.  Thus  indeed 
my  brother  said,  '  Does  not  my  brother's  heart  desire  that 
thy  daughter  be  the  wife  of  my  young  son  ^^ —  as  a  princess 

10  Bin  ft,  not  Bintiya  ("my  daughter").  The  word  Bint  is  still 
used  generally  for  "  a  young  woman."  Perhaps  Queen  Teie  is  in- 
tended. 

^i  Targumanu  ("interpreter")  is  the  modern  "dragoman."  Khanni 
was  sent  to  Aziru,  showing  that  the  Canaanite  rebellion  may  have 
occurred  in  the  reign  of  Amenophis  III. 

i2Asnnt  marii/a  elme,  or  perliaps  Assutti  elme  ("in  marriage  to  the 
youth").  There  is  no  statement  tliat  shows  Dusratta's  daughter  to 
have  married  Amenophis  111.  She  married  his  son,  and  is  called 
"daughter-in-law"  of  Queen  Teie   ( U  B.  M.). 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  331 

of  Egypt '  and  I  spoke  as  to  my  intention  about  it ;  and  my 
brother  desiring  that  she  should  be  made  ready  for  Mani,  and 
to  show  her,  so  he  beheld  her,  and  praised  her  much.  And 
may  they  lead  her  in  peace  into  the  land  of  my  brother. 
May  Ishtar  and  Amanu  make  her  agreeable  to  my  brother's 
heart. 

''  Gilia,  my  envoy,  set  forth  my  brother's  message  before 
me.  So  I  heard  and  it  was  very  good ;  and  so  I  rejoiced  very 
much.  Thus  truly  I  say,  '  This  is  thus  arranged  between  us 
so  that  we  may  be  zealous  friends.'  Now  with  firm  faith 
forever  let  us  be  friends. 

"  So  I  shall  send  to  my  brother,  and  I  say  thus  myself,  so 
let  us  be  much  more  friendly ;  and  do  not  you  respond  to  us  ? 
And  I  say  thus,  that  my  brother  has  enriched  me  ten  times 
more  than  my  father. 

"  And  I  have  asked  much  gold  of  my  brother :  so  he  has 
given  me  more  than  to  my  father.  My  brother  indeed  sent 
to  me;  and  to  my  father  you  sent  much  gold:  much  mer- 
chandise of  gold ;  and  besides  all  the  gold  you  sent  him  you 
have  sent  me  bricks  of  gold  lavished  like  copper. 

"  I  sent  Gilia  humbly  to  my  brother,  and  asked  for  gold. 
Thus  indeed  I  said,  '  Truly  my  brother  has  given  me  more 
than  to  my  father,  and  may  he  send  me  untold  gold.' 

"  May  my  brother  send  me  more  than  to  my  father ;  and 
now  I  say  thus  to  my  brother :  the  loan  that  my  grandfather 
made,  so  I  may  say,  as  one  thinking  little  of  wealth  he  made 
it  for  thee ;  and  now  as  regards  what  I  say,  the  gold  that  my 
brother  shall  send,  let  him  send  it  when  he  likes. 

"  Lo,  my  brother  has  sent  the  gold  saying,  '  It  is  due  to 
you.'  But  no.  ISTo  more  was  due ;  and  he  had  satisfied  the 
account;  and  when  he  had  satisfied  the  account  I  was  glad 
thereof  exceedingly;  and  whatever  my  brother  sends  I  have 
been  very  glad  thereof. 

"  Now,  behold,  I  sent  to  my  brother  —  and  may  my 
brother  extend  his  kindness  to  me  more  than  to  my  father; 
now  I  asked  gold  of  my  brother,  and  whatever  gold  I  asked  of 
my  brother  he  has  sent  the  double  of  what  was  asked.  One 
sum  for  the  loan,  and  a  second  of  good-will. 


332  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

"  And  may  my  brother  send  me  untold  gold ;  and  may  he 
send  me  more  than  to  my  father ;  and  so  may  the  gods  decree, 
that  much  more  gold  beside  be  in  my  brother's  land,  as  there 
now  is  in  my  brother's  land ;  and  ten  times  more  than  there 
now  is,  may  it  increase.  ^^  And  let  not  my  brother  refuse  the 
gold  that  I  ask  by  my  brother's  wish ;  and,  as  for  me,  let  me 
not  refuse  my  brother's  wish ;  and  may  my  brother  send  me 
very  much  gold  uncounted ;  and  whatever  my  brother  needs, 
let  him  send  and  take.  Let  me  return  the  gift  that  my 
brother  desires  for  his  household.  This  land  is  my  brother's 
land,  and  this  house  is  my  brother's  house. 

"  Now  I  send  Gilia,  my  envoy,  to  my  brother.  Let  him 
not  refuse  him.  Let  him  speedily  command  him:  let  him 
send  him  away.  So  hearing  my  brother's  salutation,  let  me 
rejoice  exceeding  much.  Let  me  ever  hear  my  brother's  salu- 
tation. And  these  messages  that  we  send,  let  my  God  Rim- 
mon,  and  Amanu,  decree  that  they  may  arrive  through  their 
mercy.  And  now  it  is  prayed  therefor,  so  we  are  friends; 
and  as  now  so  forever  may  we  be  friends. 

"  Now  as  to  the  gifts  for  my  brother :  I  have  sent  as  my 
brother's  gifts  a  quantity  of  solid  gold,  and  precious  stones: 
its  value  includes  the  amount  of  twenty  precious  stones  and 
nineteen  pieces  of  gold.  The  weight  of  precious  stones  and 
gold  remaining  includes  the  amount  of  forty-two  precious 
stones  and  twenty  pieces  of  gold  Zuzas  of  Ishtar :  this  is  the 
weight  of  precious  stones  and  gold  remaining;  and  ten  yoke 
of  horses,  and  ten  chariots,  with  all  that  belongs  to  them,  and 
thirty  female  slaves." 

27  B. —  [This  is  the  longest  letter  in  the  collection,  includ- 
ing six  lines  in  Aramaic,  and  512  lines  in  Dusratta's  native 
language  (see  "  Journal  Royal  Asiatic  Society,"  October, 
1892,  for  my  translation).  The  important  passages  of  the 
letter  appear  to  me  to  read  as  follows,  and  the  meaning  is 
confirmed  by  statements  in  other  letters  by  this  writer  con- 
cerning his  daughter's  marriage.     The  letter  was  addressed 

IS  The  gold  came  from  Nubia  and  Abyssinia.     (See  Brugsch,  "Hist. 
Egypt,"  i.  pp.  287,  310.) 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  333 

to  Amenophis  III.,  and  sent  by  the  same  two  envoys,  Mani 
and  Gilias,^^  already  noticed.] 

'^  Gilias,  the  envoy  who  takes  the  messages,  is  ordered  to 
utter  it,  his  duty  being  to  go  out,  because  Amenophis  III., 
the  Egyptian  ally,  rules  a  far  off  land,  and  I  rule  in  the  city 
Ikhibin,^^  the  city  of  the  God  Simigis,^*^  the  paternal  deity. 

"  To  proceed :  as  Mani,  my  brother's  envoy,  says,  it  is 
understood  that  my  brother  is  very  desirous  that  it  should 
be  speedily  completed. 

"  Brother,  I  gladly  empower  the  envoy  to  take  back  this 
woman,  whom  Mani  says  my  brother  commanded  him  to 
bring,  when  he  was  ordered  as  an  envoy. 

"  Understanding  that  my  brother  desires  now  to  take  her 
home,  is  it  not  necessary,  understanding  this  decision  to  be 
preferred;  as  twenty-three  months  have  gone  by,  is  not  her 
taking  home  to  be  hastened?  My  Court  having  decided  to 
accept,  and  being  satisfied  as  well  as  my  wife,  and  resolved 
to  accept  the  agreement ;  and  the  girl  being  heartily  pleased 
—  how  happy  she  is  words  can  not  tell  —  the  decision  is  from 
the  gods,  brother,  for  me  the  decision  is  from  the  mighty 
gods,  my  brother.  Surely  you  know  w^hether  I  do  not  desire 
that  she  should  be  so  brilliantly  exalted,  the  girl  being  so 
fortunately  married :  surely  you  know  that  I  shall  be  glad. 

"  Proclaim  thou  for  me  that  w^hatever  people  of  Khalci,^'' 
west  of  the  Minyan  ^^  country  —  whatever  people  of  Khalci 
I  have  conquered,  are  made  subject. 

14  In  Aramaic  "  Gilia,"  in  the  native  tongue  "  Gilias,"  with  the 
Mongol  termination  of  the  nominative  indefinite. 

15  Ikhibin,  possibly  Kaban  Maden  in  Armenia. 

16  Si-migi-8  is  apparently  a  Mongol  title  for  some  deity,  "  the  eye  of 
night"   (or  "of  sunset"),  either  the  moon  or  the  evening  star. 

17  Khalci,  either  Chalcis  near  Aleppo,  or  the  "  Land  of  the  Khal "  or 
"  Phenicians."     (Karnak  list,  No.  140.) 

18  The  Minyans  (Jer.  li.  27;  and  in  Ps.  xlv.  8,  Targum)  lived  west 
of  Lake  Van.  The  Hyksos  are  called  Men,  or  Menti,  in  Egyptian  texts. 
Apepi,  the  Hyksos  King,  adored  Set,  or  Sut,  who  was  adored  also  by 
the  Hittites,  and  from  whom  Dusratta's  father,  Sut-tarna  ("Set  is  his 
lord  " )  was  probably  named.  It  would  appear  that  the  Hyksos,  Hit- 
tites, and  Armenians,  were  of  the  same  race.  The  land  of  the  Men  ia 
said  to  have  been  near  Assyria,  and  east  of  Syria,  which  agrees. 


334  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

"  I  being  the  great  chief  of  the  power  of  the  land  of  the 
Hittites  taking  to  me,  my  brother,  all  the  people  that  are  con- 
quered. Let  it  extend  to  the  city  of  Harran,^'*  and  let  the 
land  possessed  by  no  king  be  taxed. 

"  My  son-in-law  being  married  in  the  city  of  Thebes  in 
presence  of  the  image  of  the  deity. 

"  Is  it  not  thus  that  Dusratta  dwelling  afar  arranges  the 
marriage  of  Tadukhipa  ^^ —  Dusratta,  the  favored  friend, 
from  the  Minyan  land,  consenting  to  the  wish  of  Amenophis 
III.,  the  Egyptian  friend,  that  the  son  of  Amenophis  III.  be 
so  married  to  her,  in  the  presence  of  the  image  of  the  deity." 

[As  this  letter  is  written  in  what  is  called  by  scholars  an 
^'  unknowTi  language,"  these  renderings  may  be  questioned. 
The  dialect  appears,  however,  to  be  closely  related  to  the 
Akkadian  and  to  other  Mongol  dialects  of  western  Asia,  and 
to  be  also  the  same  used  (B.  10)  by  the  Hittites.] 

10  B.  M. —  [Written,  as  the  Egyptian  docket  at  the  bottom 
of  the  tablet  on  the  back  states,  in  the  thirty-sixth  year  of 
Amenophis  III.,  which  appears  to  have  been  probably  the 
last  of  his  reign.] 

"To  Amenophis  III.,  King  of  Egypt,  my  brother,  my 
kinsman  whom  I  love,  and  who  loves  me,  by  letter  thus  Dus- 
ratta, King  of  Mitani,  who  loves  thee,  thy  kinsman.  I  am  at 
peace.  Peace  be  to  thee,  to  thy  house,  to  the  woman  Tachik- 
hipa,  my  daughter,  to  the  wife  thou  lovest  be  peace.^^  To 
thy  wives,  to  thy  sons,  to  thy  lords,  to  thy  chariots,  to  thy 
horses,  to  thy  army,  to  thy  land,  and  to  all  that  is  thine,  be 
much,  much,  much  peace. 

"  Thus  I  say,  Ishtar  of  Nineveh,  the  lady  of  the  lands,  is 
kind  of  heart  to  the  land  of  Egypt.  In  the  land  that  I  love 
do  not  they  walk  after  her  ?  ^^  Do  not  they  cry  aloud  to  her  ? 
Now  behold  it  has  brought  thee  prosperity. 

19  Harran  (Oen.  xi.  31,  etc.),  now  Harran,  was  on  the  south  border 
of  Dusratta's  kingdom,  marching  with  Assyria.     (Compare  24  B.) 

20  Tadukhipa,  a  Mongol  name,  "  possessing  sweetness." 

21  Probably  Tele  is  here  meant,  as  there  is  no  notice  of  Gilukhipa. 
Sho  may  have  died. 

22 "  Walk  after  "  for  "  obey  "  or  "  worship,"  is  used  just  as  in  Bibli- 
cal Hebrew. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  335 

"  Now  from  the  time  of  my  father  they  have  besought 
Ishtar  in  her  land  for  thy  prosperity ;  and,  as  of  old  so  now, 
it  continues.     They  honor  her. 

"  And  now  may  my  brother  receive  of  her  ten  times  more 
than  before.  Let  my  brother  receive  with  joy:  let  it  be 
hastened  for  him:  let  it  endure. 

"  Ishtar  is  the  Lady  of  Heaven,  my  brother,  and  as  for  me 
let  me  be  guarded  by  her  for  a  hundred  years;  and  may 
great  joy  be  given.  Let  it  be  granted  by  her  that  I  may  not 
fail;  and  as  you  desire  may  it  befall. 

"  Is  not  Ishtar  my  God,  and  has  not  she  prospered  my 
brother  (or  been  with  my  brother)  ?  " 

24:  B. —  [The  second  longest  of  Dusratta's  letters,  185 
lines  in  all,  is  unfortunately  very  much  damaged,  as  it  is 
perhaps  the  most  important,  giving  as  it  does  historical  in- 
formation extending  over  three  generations,  during  which 
the  kings  of  Egypt  and  of  Mitani  were  allied  by  marriage.] 

"  To  .  .  .  ya,^^  my  kinsman,  whom  I  love  and  who  loves 
me,  .  .  .  the  great  King,  King  of  Mitani,  thy  kinsman 
who  loves  thee.  I  am  at  peace  ...  to  the  Lady  Teie  .  .  . 
to  Tadukhipa,  my  daughter,  thy  wife,  be  peace,  to  ...  be 
peace.  To  thy  sons,  to  thy  lords,  to  thy  chariots,  to  thy 
horses,  to  thy  .  .  .  and  to  all  that  is  thine,  be  much,  much 
much  peace  ...  of  Amenophis  III.  thy  father  he  sent  to 
me ;  he  explained  ...  of  all  that  he  sent  there  was  no  mes- 
sage at  all  that  I  ...  to  your  father  as  to  what  he  sent  to 
me ;  and  Teie,  the  chief  wife  of  Amenophis  IIL,  your  mother 
knew  all  of  them.  All  these  have  been  seen  by  Teie,  your 
mother,  ...  the  messages  that  your  father  caused  to  be  ad- 
dressed to  me. 

".  .  .  and  ten  times  more  than  with  Amenophis  IIL  your 
father  caused  him  to  tell  me  whatsoever  wish  .  .  .  and  what- 
ever message  I  spoke,  faithfully  in  the  same  day  ...  he 
himself  did  not  turn  away  his  heart  from  any  message  .  .  . 
but  faithfully  in  the  same  day  he  caused  it  to  be  done. 

23  The  broken  name  was  "  Nabkhuriya,"  or  Amenophis  IV.,  as  is 
clear  from  the  next  paragraph.  He  was  also  the  husband  of  Tadukhipa, 
as  here  stated.     (See  11  B.  M.) 


336  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

".  .  .  the  father  of  Amenophis  III.  sent  to  Sitatama,^* 
my  grandfather,  and  ...  a  daughter.  He  sent  to  my 
grandfather  five  or  six  times,  and  he  was  not  given  her,  when 
.  .  .  he  sent;  and  at  length  he  was  given  her.  Amenophis 
III.  your  father  sent  humbly  to  Suttarna,  my  father,  .  .  . 
and  so  for  my  father's  daughter,  my  own  sister,  his  heart 
was  desirous;  and  five  or  six  times  he  .  .  .  her:  when  he 
had  sent  five  or  six  times  at  length  he  was  given  her.  So 
Amenophis  III.  .  .  .  sent  to  me,  and  so  desired  a  daugh- 
ter 2^  and  I  ...  I  said  in  ...  of  his  envoy  '  Thus  I  say 
I  have  sworn  to  give  her :  by  our  wish  ...  to  take,  and  the 
.  .  .  which  he  has  known:  and  she  is  a  sister,  so  it  is  law- 
ful; and  I  give  .  .  .  Amenophis  III.  thy  father's  ...  if 
these  are  not  truths  .  .  .  heaven  and  earth  bear  witness  .  .  . 
to  give  her;  and  Khai,^^  the  envoy  of  my  brother  ...  to 
the  Queen  and  to  Amenophis  III.  I  sent  with  her  ...  in 
three  months  with  the  greatest  speed  .  .  .  and  the  gold 
.  .  .  truly  was  not  .  .  .  which  I  sent.  ' 

"  When  you  favored  a  daughter,  and  so  sent  for  her,  and 
as  Amenophis  III.  your  father,  knew  her  ...  I  rejoiced, 
being  exceeding  glad,  and  he  said,  '  My  brother,  is  not  it  thy 
wish  thus  to  give  the  handmaid  ' ;  and  he  made  public  agree- 
ment with  this  his  land,  in  presence  of  my  envoy  ...  so 
men  .  .  .  when  they  beheld ;  and  I  received  from  him ;  and 
Amenophis  III.  established  us  .  .  .  for  the  future;  and  so 
receiving  ...  I  was  made  great;  and  in  the  cities  which 
for  Tadukhipa  ...  in  all  of  them  he  made  us  dwell  as  con- 
querors,^^ and  among  the  envoys  who  went  down  .  .  .  none 

24  Sitatama,  a  Mongol  name,  apparently  "  fair-faced."  Suttarna,  also 
Mon<iolie,  "  Sut  is  his  Lord." 

25  As  Gilukhipa  was  married  during  the  reign  of  Suttarna  (ap- 
parently from  Egyptian  sources  in  the  tenth  year  of  Amenophis  III., 
or  about  1490  B.C.),  it  is  possible  that  "  Teie  "  is  here  intended;  but 
her  fatlier's  name  was  luaa,  or  Ivaa,  and  it  is  not  clear  what  relation 
she  was  to  Dusratta.  From  11  B.  it  seems  clear  that  they  were  related, 
and  later  in  the  present  letter  he  mentions  the  "  father  of  Teie,"  ap- 
parently as  living  with  him  after  his  own  father's  death. 

-•>  Khai  was  sent  to  Aziru  (31  B.),  which  again  shows  the  date  of 
the  Canaanite  rebellion  to  have  been  early. 

27  This  agrees  with  27  B.  as  regards  Dusratta's  conquests  in  the 
Hittite  country. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  337 

that  Gilia  .  .  .  the  gold  of  one  (limzu)  was  given  by  weight. 
Truly  to  Amenophis  III.  for  Tadukhipa  it  was  given; 
and  Tadukhipa  .  .  .  was  given  .  .  .  and  .  .  .  my  envoys 
Amenophis  III.  with  ...  I  received;  there  was  no  one 
.  .  .  Amenophis  III.  sent  Nizik  his  envoy  .  .  .  myself; 
and  he  .  .  .  refusing  to  my  face  the  ...  of  gold  .  .  .  the 
gold  which  ...  of  Gilia  and  ...  he  established  us  .  .  . 
my  envoys  ...  to  be  dispatched  ...  he  did  not  cease  to 
deny  .  .  .  and  ...  he  took  her  ...  I  was  not  able  to  re- 
fuse to  please  him  ...  he  sent  this  to  me  .  .  .  they  sent 
was  wonderful,  and  then  .  .  .  Amenophis  III.,  your  father, 
in  every  message  .  .  .  the  lord  of  the  place  to  protect  her. 
Did  not  he  order  all  these  as  I  say  ...  do  not  I  say  that 
Teie  ^^  .  .  .  has  known  .  .  .  and  Teie  is  your  mother,  ask 
her  if,  among  the  messages  that  I  spake,  there  is  one  mes- 
sage which  is  not  vindicated  by  her,  as  to  these  messages  to 
Amenophis  III.  your  father,  ...  if  to  Amenophis  III., 
your  father,  brotherhood  was  made  by  me :  if  it  was  said  by 
Amenophis  III.,  your  father,  '  If  at  all  there  is  gold  that 
.  .  .  in  the  land  of  Khani  Rabbe  I  will  dispatch  it;  and 
order  thou  thus  the  ...  do  not  I  desire  to  cause  it  to  be 
sent ' :  the  .  .  .  bore  what  was  ordered  to  be  given  of  Ameno- 
phis III.,  your  father ;  and  Amenophis  III.  said  to  me  ^  .  . 
the  treasures  of  gold  ...  all  that  my  .  .  .  desires  is  sent 
.  .  .  and  ...  to  do  this  I  have  sent  to  thee '  .  .  .  there  by 
Amenophis  III.  with  a  message.  Never  was  there  a  mes- 
sage without  a  reply.     I  never  refused  any  of  the  messages. 

"  And  when  Amenophis  III.  was  obliged  to  be  taken  to 
his  fate,  and  they  told  me  ...  I  tore  my  cheeks,  and  I 
mourned  on  that  same  day ;  I  sat  in  the  dust ;  I  took  no  food 
or  water  that  same  day ;  and  I  was  grieved  ...  I  said  '  Let 
me  perish  myself  from  earth,  and  from  my  .  .  .  and  that 
he  loved  me  God  knows,  and  he  was  loved '  and  because  of 
these  things  we  are  cast  down  in  our  hearts. 

".  .  .  to  me  the  eldest  son  of  Amenophis  III.  by  his  wife 

28  Aa  Amenophis  IV.  was  married  already  in  the  reign  of  Amenophis 
III.,  his  mother's  marriage  evidently  took  place  some  twenty  years  at 
least  before  the  date  of  this  letter. 
VOL.  I.— 22. 


338  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Teie  .  .  .  was  made,  and  I  said,  '  Has  not  Amenophis  III. 
died  .  .  .  the  eldest  son  of  liis  chief  wife  Teie  is  in  his  stead 
.  .  .  shall  not  we  be  sent  news  .  .  .  from  her  abode  as  of 
old.' 

"...  I  say,  thus  Amenophis  IV.  is  my  brother  whom  we 
shall  love  in  our  hearts  .  .  .  the  son  of  Amenophis  III. 
more  than  his  father,  because  of  Teie  his  mother,  who  was 
the  wife  ...  as  she  desires  a  message  to  the  presence  of 
Amenophis  IV.  (Abkhuriya)  the  son  of  Amenophis  III.,  her 
husband.  I  rejoice  very  exceeding  much  that  we  shall  be 
friends. 

"  As  they  have  sent  me  this  message  ?  As  they  have  or- 
dered it,  Gilias  is  humbly  sent  .  .  .  they  have  sent  Mani 
as  an  envoy,  and  treasures  of  woods  or  trees  my  brother  has 
sent,  and  gold  .  .  .  without  gold  and  without  .  .  ." 

[The  next  passage  is  too  broken  to  read,  but  refers  to 
the  continuance  of  friendship  since  the  time  of  the  ancestors 
of  both  kings,  and  for  the  future.  The  back  of  the  tablet 
is  very  much  broken,  the  whole  of  one  paragraph,  and  the 
greater  part  of  the  next,  which  refers  to  Teie  as  the  mother 
of  Amenophis  IV.,  being  destroyed.     It  continues:] 

".  .  .  the  message  of  your  mother  which  to  Gilias  .  .  . 
He  has  desired  a  message  to  be  dispatched  and  as  he  desires 
.  .  .  have  not  I  sent  my  envoys,  and  have  not  I  .  .  .  and 
it  is  not  my  fault  and  the  treasures  .  .  .  which  he  asked  of 
him  I  have  caused  to  be  given,  not  being  desired  .  .  .  my 
envoys  four  years  since  you  ^®  .  .  ." 

[Eight  lines  are  here  almost  entirely  destroyed,  referring 
to  some  speedy  message,  and  to  the  former  king,  with  a  refer- 
ence to  certain  persons,  including  the  "  father  of  Teie  (your 
elders)  with  me,"  with  professions  of  friendship.  The  end 
of  the  paragraph  (lines  40,  41)  contains  the  words,  "as 
thus  he  set  us  up  over  all  her  many  lands  ...  all  the 
lands  are  all  hers  in  his  sight."  ^^  The  next  paragraph 
continues:] 

2n  Af)par('ntly  tliis  was  written  at  least  four  years  after  the  death  of 
Amenopliis   III.,  or  about   1450  n.c.  at  earliest. 
80  Tiie  lands  given  when  Tadukliipa  was  married. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  339 

".  .  .  the  treasures  of  gold  allowed  to  be  dispatched  pre- 
viously by  Amenophis  111.  ...  he  has  sent.  Lo!  very  ex- 
ceedingly my  brother  has  desired  that  treasures  ...  to  us; 
and  much  of  his  gold  .  .  .  very  exceedingly  my  brother 
...  as  intending  for  me  .  .  .  whatever  among  .  .  .  and 
your  father ;  was  not  he  given  by  me ;  and  lo !  now  let  my 
brother  see  that  I  was  not  at  all  .  .  .  to  your  father:  the 
treasures  that  he  desired  were  given,  and  lo !  .  .  .  I  am  send- 
ing back  my  message:  there  shall  be  nothing  done  to  cause 
the  heart  to  turn  away  ...  all  the  messages  .  .  .  Teie  has 
been  a  witness,  and  Teie  your  mother  .  .  .  plenty.  Lo! 
I  asked  your  father,  and  did  not  your  father  grant  me  ?  and 
...  let  this  gold  be  given,  and  let  not  my  brother's  heart 
...  let  him  not  turn  from  my  .  .  .  when  the  loan  .  .  . 
was  not  made,  and  what  had  .  .  . 

".  .  .  Let  Gilia  know  this  day  what  my  brother's  heart 
desires.  I  have  made  Gilia  travel  .  .  .  thus  I  have  made 
my  brother's  envoys  to  obey  him,  traveling  with  speed.  If 
ever,  my  brother,  my  envoys  ...  if  ever  I  send  my  envoys 
.  .  .  the  fault  is  not  mine  ...  I  have  sent  Mani  and  Gilia 
to  my  brother  as  before.  If  at  all  by  my  brother  my  envoys 
to  him,  and  if  by  us  they  shall  be  received,  I  also  shall  so 
hasten  him  .  .  .  Lo!  as  regards  messages  from  my  brother, 
which  he  makes  about  anything  as  to  my  brother's  intentions 
.  .  .  thence ;  and  on  the  throne  of  his  father  he  sits  this  day ; 
and  let  me  do  my  brother's  will. 

"  I  say  thus,  my  brother,  have  not  I  sent  my  envoys,  and 
much  in  their  keeping  which  is  for  thee;  and  my  brother 
let  .  .  .  which  is  for  thee.  Mazipalali,^^  my  envoy,  is  the 
paternal  uncle  of  Gilia,  and  for  .  .  .  my  brother  I  have  sent 
him,  and  my  brother  am  not  I  the  surer  as  Gilia  is  not  .  .  . 
And  the  other  envoy  whom  I  shall  send  to  my  brother  is  the 
brother  of  Gilia,  the  son  of  his  mother  ^^  .  .  .  I  sent  him. 
So  my  brother  have  not  I  dispatched  him  speedily  without 
stopping,  and,  my  brother,  as  to  my  wishes  that  I  wish,  it 
is  not  my  fault,  and  because  of  these  things  did  not  I  send 

31  Mazipalali,  a  ^rongol  name.  "  hero  with  the  sword." 

32  Indi"*tiss  that  t.li<»ae  Moneola  were  not  monogamists. 


340  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Gilia  ...  for   security,    and   for   all   this    am   not   I   the 

surer. 

"  Mazipalali,  whom  I  shall  send  to  my  brother,  is  the  uncle 
of  Gilia ;  and  the  treasures  allowed  to  be  dispatched  .  .  .  and 
plenty  of  untold  gold  of  the  loan  which  I  desire  from  my 
brother  let  my  brother  give  .  .  .  and  let  him  not  refuse; 
and  with  my  brother  gold  in  addition  ...  ten  times  more 
may  it  increase  to  me  exceedingly  ...  let  these  things  be 
ordered;  and  Mani  with  my  envoy  my  brother  ...  let  be 
given  of  my  brother ;  and  let  him  send  Gilia  to  me ;  and  .  .  . 
and  all  the  news  about  my  brother's  mother  that  they  shall 
speak,  and  especially  let  me  hear  .  .  .  that  they  did.  And 
lo !  as  before  I  sent  not  to  thee  my  brother,  so  let  him  .  .  . 
me.  Let  not  my  brother  .  .  .  and  to  my  brother's  pleasure 
.  .  .  and  I  meditate  a  message  of  consolation  for  my 
brother. 

"Let  both  Artessupa^^  and  .  .  .  thus  relate  in  my 
brother's  land  this  thing.  I  have  been  sent  under  escort 
.  .  .  Mani  brought  before  me  all  my  wicked  slaves,  who 
have  dwelt  in  Egypt,  and  I  examined  them  ^^  as  to  .  .  . 
and  they  said  .  .  .  and  I  said  before  them,  '  Why  is  your 
insolence  so  great?'  ...  So  they  put  them  in  chains,  and 
.  .  .  one  of  my  .  .  .  one  from  my  city  who  has  angered  the 
land  .  .  .  and  another  .  .  .  did  not  I  slay  because  of  these 
things  ?  My  brother,  did  not  he  say  .  .  .  was  not  I  wroth  ? 
Behold,  my  brother,  they  were  wicked  .  .  .  and  .  .  .  my 
brother  it  was  necessary  and  now  let  me  afflict  them. 

"  As  to  a  present  for  my  brother.  My  brother's  presents 
are  —  a  weight  of  solid  gold  from  the  land  Ris  Burkhis,  a 
weapon  with  a  stone  head  ^^  ...  of  precious  stone  ...  an 

«3  Mongol  name,  Ar-Tessupas,  "worshiper  of  Tessupas "  (Eimmon). 
Other  Mongol  names  occur  in  27  B.  (in  the  native  speech)  including 
Asali  ("joyful")  and  Artatan  ("strong  soldier").  If  Tele's  name 
was  Mongolic,  it  would  mean  "  bright." 

34  Similar  extradition  is  noticed  in  the  treaty  between  Ramses  II. 
and  Kheta  Sar,  the  Hittite  king,  a  century  later. 

3r.  The  signs  IZCU,  SAK,  TAK  ("weapon,  stone,  head")  seem  to 
indicate  a  stone  axe  such  as  the  Carians  used.  Battle-axes  of  flint  are 
noticed  in  the  time  of  Thothmes  III.  (Brugsch,  "Hist.  Egypt,"  i.  p- 
342.) 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  341 

ornament  for  the  hands  of  precious  stones,  one  part  of  gold : 
three  cloths:  three  .  .  .  three  .  .  .  with  fastenings  of  gold, 
...  of  refined  bronze  or  copper  .  .  .  two  .  .  . 

"  As  a  present  for  Teie  your  mother  an  ornament  for  the 
hands  of  precious  stones  .  .  .  earrings  .  .  .  two  cloths. 

"  As  a  present  for  Tadukhipa,  my  daughter,  an  ornament 
for  the  hands  .  .  .  earrings  .  .  .  two  cloths." 

23  B. —  [The  salutation  is  the  same  as  in  the  last,  being 
addressed  to  Amenophis  IV.,  to  Teie,  and  to  Tadukhipa.] 

"  Mani,  my  brother's  envoy,  has  come  to  me.  I  have 
heard.  I  liked  much  the  gifts  that  my  brother  ...  I  saw, 
and  I  rejoiced  very  much.  My  brother  utters  this  message 
and  says,  '  As  with  my  father  Amenophis  III.,  you  were 
friends,  now  behold  this  day  be  friends  with  me,  thy  brother. 
You  will  continue  to  be  kind,'  and  I  have  not  delayed  .  .  . 
with  my  brother.  Lo!  ten  times  more  than  to  your  father 
I  will  be  a  friend. 

"  And  your  father,  Amenophis  III.,  spoke  this  message 
in  his  letter  by  your  .  .  .  Mani,  '  Continue  thou  the  friend- 
ship,' ^^  and  when  my  brother,  Amenophis  III.,  said  this, 
lo !  what  I  had  sent  was  nothing  at  all,  and  my  brother  shall 
not  consider  it  anything.  And  I  do  not  send  this  present, 
which  behold  I  have  sent  to  thee,  as  desiring  to  cause  you  to 
send;  but  humbly  whatever  my  brother  desires  to  be  given 
to  his  wife,  they  shall  be  made  to  take  away.  They  shall 
see  her,^^  and  I  will  send  ten  times  as  much. 

"  And  the  treasures  of  gold  allowed  to  be  dispatched  — 
one  treasure  for  me,  and  another  treasure  as  the  treasure  of 
Tadukhipa,  my  daughter,  lo!  I  asked  of  Amenophis  III., 
your  father.  And  your  father  said,  '  Send  for  the  gold  that 
remains  to  be  remitted ;  let  the  rest  be  given,  and  the  precious 
stones  that  are  to  be  given  thee,  and  the  gold,  because  we 
have  increased  the  gift,  which  is  marvelous  with  treasure  to 
be  given  to  you.'     And  the  gold  of  the  treasures  all  my  en- 

36  This  letter  may,  perhaps,  be  earlier  than  the  preceding. 

37  From  a  later  letter  ( 1  B.  M. )  it  seems  that  the  foreign  ladies  were 
shown  to  envoys  from  their  parents,  to  enable  them  to  report  as  to 
their  health. 


342  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

voys  who  were  in  the  laud  of  Egypt  beheld  with  their  eyes ; 
and  your  father  lavishly  increased  the  treasures  in  presence 
of  my  envoys.  He  welcomed  them  on  their  way;  he  main- 
tained them !  and  lavishly  expended  the  .  .  .  on  my  envoys. 
They  gazed,  and  so  truly  they  beheld  with  their  eyes  his 
favor  poured  out. 

"  And  more  gold  beside,  which  was  marvelous,  which  he 
sent  to  me,  he  piled  up ;  and  he  said  to  my  envoys,  '  Behold 
the  treasures,  and  behold  the  gold  in  plenty,  and  the  pos- 
sessions which  are  marvelous,^^  which  I  shall  send  to  my 
brother :  behold  them  also  with  your  eyes.'  And  my  envoys 
beheld  with  their  eyes. 

"  But  now,  my  brother,  the  treasures  remitted,  which  your 
father  sent,  you  shall  not  send,  but  the  woods  (or  trees)  have 
been  received.^*^  You  are  sending  the  possessions  that  your 
father  sent  to  me.  You  shall  not  send  them,  but  shall  store 
them  up  very  much. 

"  And  thinking  of  all  that  one  has  known,  how  I  rejoiced 
because  of  my  brother,  none  ever  brought  salutation  from 
him  at  any  time,  my  brother,  but  the  same  day  return  was 
made  to  him. 

"  And  Khamassi,  my  brother's  envoy,  he  sent  humbly  to 
my  presence,  and  humbly  he  spoke  my  brother's  message:  I 
heard,  and  then  I  said,  '  As  I  was  friends  with  Amenophis 
HI.,  thy  father,  lo!  now  ten  times  more  with  Amenophis 
IV.  (Nabkhuriya)  shall  I  be  great  friends.'  So  then  I  said 
to  Khamassi,  your  envoy. 

"  And  lo !  my  brother :  the  treasures  of  gold  to  be  remitted 
you  shall  not  send ;  and  there  shall  be  respite  of  gifts  which 
your  father  spoke  of  sending.  It  is  desired  that  my  brother 
shall  not  send  them. 

"  Lo !  my  brother,  the  treasures  of  gold  which  I  asked  of 
your  father  I  may  say  that  half  of  them  will  be  carried  off 
(or  stolen)   .  .  .  The  lands  are  at  strife  .  .  ."  '*" 

38  Or  "  the  curious  things." 

39  Or,  perhaps,  "  but  letters  are  received." 

■•uThis  agrees  with  the  letters  from  Babylonia  in  showing  the  dis- 
turbed state  of  the  countries  between  Armenia  and  Egypt  early  in  the 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  343 

11  B.  M.— "To  .  .  .  Princess  of  the  Land  of  Egypt," ^ 
thus  Dusratta,  King  of  Mitani.  I  am  at  peace :  Peace  be  to 
thee  .  .  .  Peace  be  to  thy  son;  peace  be  to  Tadukhipa,  thy 
daughter-in-law.  To  thy  land  and  to  all  that  is  thine  be 
much,  much  peace. 

"  Thou  hast  known  of  me  how  I  loved  Amenophis  III., 
thy  husband,  and  Amenophis  III.,  because  he  was  thy  hus- 
band how  he  loved  me.  As  for  Amenophis  III.,  thy  hus- 
band, he  heard  what  I  said ;  and  Amenophis  III.,  because  he 
was  thy  husband,  sent  messages  to  me ;  and  what  he  said  to 
thee  my  .  .  .  both  Mani  has  known,  and  thou  .  .  .  hast 
known  all  of  these  things  —  the  messages  we  zealously  ut- 
tered. There  was  nothing  thus  that  he  has  not  known  of 
them. 

"  Now  you  said  to  Gilia,  '  Say  to  your  Lord,  Amenophis 
III.  was  friends  with  your  father,  and  why  should  his  favor 
be  less  than  to  your  father?  Nay,  indeed,  what  he  shall 
send  to  our  place  shall  not  .  .  .  will  not  you  hasten  to  .  .  . 
your  friendship  with  Axnenophis  III.  .  .  .  making  it 
greater;  and  assure  him  .  .  .  that  you  will  gladly 
send  .  .  ." 

[Here  many  broken  lines  follow,  but  it  seems  clear  from 
this  letter,  and  from  24  B.,  that  Teie  (or  Thi),  the  Queen  of 
Egypt,  was  related  to  Dusratta,  but  it  is  not  clear  that  she 
was  his  sister.  Gilukhipa,  the  sister  whom  he  names,  is 
known  from  Egyptian  sources  to  have  been  the  daughter  of 
Suttarna,  Dusratta's  father,  and  she  came  to  Egypt  with 
317  ladies  in  her  train.  Amenophis  III.  also  married  at 
least  one  Babylonian  princess,  as  will  appear  in  the  letters 
that  follow.] 

RiMMON    NiRARl's    LeTTEE 

30  B.— "  To  the  Sun-god  the  King  my  lord,  the  King  of 
Egypt,  thus  Rimmon  Nirari,'*^  thy  servant.     I  bow  at  my 

reign  of  Amenophis  IV.,  due  to  the  revolts  of  Hittites,  Amorites,  and 
Hebrews. 

*i  Clearly  written  to  Teie,  as  Amenophis  IV.  is  mentioned  as  her  son. 

*2 "  Rimmon  Nirari  "  is  an  Assyrian  name,  but  the  king  so  called 


34-4  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

lord's  feet.  Lo!  Manakhbija  (Thothmes  IV.)  made  my 
father  King  ...  to  rule  in  the  land  of  Markhasse  (or  Nuk- 
hasse),  and  established  men  to  dwell  with  him;  and  as  the 
King  of  .  .  .  was  disputing  for  the  kingdom,  which  has  been 
made  .  .  .  which  he  established  for  him  ...  he  gave 
him  .  .  ." 

[About  twenty  lines  of  the  letter  are  here  destroyed;  the 
remainder  of  the  lines  being  broken  and  disconnected.] 

Callimmasin's  Letters 

1  B. — "  To  Amenophis  III.,  the  King  of  Egypt,  by  letter 
thus  Callimmasin,'^^  the  King  of  Carandunias  (Babylonia), 
thy  brother.  I  am  at  peace.  To  thee,  to  thy  house,  thy 
wives,  thy  land,  thy  chariots,  thy  horses,  thy  ...  be  much 
peace. 

"  Because  of  the  youngest  of  my  daughters,  whom  you 
send  to  wed,  Irtabi,  whom  you  remember,  they  took  this 
message.  My  father  formerly  sent  a  message.  You  col- 
lected many  soldiers,  you  approved  his  message,  and  you 
sent  making  a  present  to  my  father. 

"  Xow  I  send  thee  this  envoy.  In  the  sixth  year  you  seek 
for  this,  and  in  the  sixth  year  you  send  thirty  manahs  of 
gold  instead  of  silver  for  my  present.  I  return  the  same 
gold.  Casi,  your  envoy,  has  known  its  value,  which  he  has 
seen.  I  send  thy  envoy  well  instructed  as  to  our  opinion. 
For  I  followed  .  .  .  and  the  present  that  he  is  instructed 
to  ...  is  thirty  manahs  of  gold,  w^hich  you  ...  a  gift  of 
alliance." 

[The  rest  is  too  broken  to  read.  It  mentions  five  women 
sent,  and  ten  wooden  chariots  —  the  latter  as  presents.  The 
next  letter  is  from  Egypt ;  either  a  copy  or  an  original  never 
sent.] 

lived  a  good  deal  later.  The  rank  of  this  writer  is  evidently  inferior, 
but  not  as  inferior  as  that  of  the  Canaanite  chiefs.  He  may  have  been 
an  Assyrian  prince,  and  perhaps  verote  to  Amenophis  III. 

43  Tliig  king,  unknown  before,  was  probably  older  than  Amenophis 
Til.,  who  married  his  daughter,  who  was  marriageable  before  the  writ- 
er's father  died. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  345 

1  B.  M. — "  To  Callimmasin,  King  of  Carandunias,  mj 
brother,  by  letter  thus  Amenophis  III.,  the  great  King,  the 
King  of  Egypt,  thy  brother.  There  is  peace  to  my  region. 
To  thy  region  be  peace:  to  thy  house,  to  thy  wives,  to  thy 
sons,  to  thy  lords,  to  thy  horses,  to  thy  chariots,  and  in  thy 
hands  be  much  peace.  I  am  at  peace.  There  is  much 
peace  to  my  house,  to  my  wives,  to  my  sons,  to  my  lords,  my 
horses,  my  chariots,  my  army;  and  in  my  lands  there  is 
much  peace. 

"  Now  I  heard  the  message  you  sent  about  her  to  me. 
Thus  it  was,  '  Now  you  ask  my  daughter  as  your  wife,  but 
ID.J  sister  whom  my  father  gave  thee,  being  good  to  you,  has 
any  seen  her  whether  she  has  lived  or  whether  she  has  died  ? ' 
This  is  the  message  that  you  send  in  your  letter.  But  did 
you  ever  send  as  your  envoy  one  who  has  known  your  sis- 
ter, and  who  has  spoken  with  her,  and  understood  her  ?  And 
let  one  speak  with  her.  The  chiefs  you  send  are  useless, 
your  envoy  Zakara  is  one  who  is  a  chief.  There  is  not  one 
among  them  related  to  your  father,  and  .  .  .  concerning 
this  my  envoy  is  with  thee,  and  has  spoken  to  her  .  .  .  her 
heart  .  .  .  concerning  this,  and  she  has  given  ...  to  her 
mother.  And  lo !  you  send  this,  '  You  spoke  to  my  envoys, 
and  they  gathered  your  wives:  a  lady  appeared  before  you, 
saying  thus,  Behold  your  queen  who  is  brought  out  before 
you  all.  But  my  envoys  knew  her  not  to  be  my  sister.'  Now 
satisfy  yourself  as  to  what  you  thus  send,  '  My  envoys  knew 
her  not,'  and  you  say,  '  Who  was  it  that  was  recognized  by 
her  ? '  Why  do  not  you  send  as  your  envoy  one  who  shall 
tell  you  a  true  message  as  to  the  salutation  from  your  sister, 
I  pray  you?  And  you  said  that  they  disputed  as  to  her 
appearance.  But  you  can  see  her  with  the  King.  And  lo ! 
you  send  thus,  '  Who  was  the  princess  —  a  daughter  of  one 
who  was  a  native,  or  was  she  one  of  the  land  of  my  neigh- 
bors, or  was  she  the  daughter  of  the  land  of  Khani  Eabbatu, 
or  the  princess  of  the  land  of  Ugarit,  that  my  envoys  so  saw, 
and  who  was  it  that  spoke  to  them  to  satisfy  that  nothing 
wrong  was  done  ? '  And  does  not  your  message  say  all  this  ? 
But  if  she  has  died  —  your  sister,  and  I  am  concealing,  as 


346  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

you  pretend,  her  ...  in  former  times,  which  we  .  .  .  the 
God  Amanu  ...  I  rejoice  that  the  wife  I  love  ...  she 
has  been  made  queen  ...  I  deny  that  .  .  .  beyond  all  the 
wives  .  .  .  that  the  Kings  of  Egypt  ...  in  the  land  of 
Egypt.  And  lo !  you  send  thus,  '  Both  my  daughters  .  .  . 
as  wives  of  the  Kings  of  the  land  of  Carandunias.'  But  if 
the  ...  of  my  envoys  is  friendly,  and  they  have  said,  '  With 
these  things  our  lord  has  sent  us,  as  a  present,  to  satisfy  thee 
concerning  thy  message:  the  princess  salutes  the  Kings,  and 
all  her  friends  your  daughters.'  Take  thou  possession  from 
him  of  whatever  is  with  them,  and  send  me  a  letter,  and  ar- 
range with  thy  sister  who  is  with  me,  and  make  sure  of 
everything;  and  I  have  sent  to  thee  an  overseer,  so  to  make 
known  to  your  daughters,  in  order  to  perceive  the  evil  that 
they  teach  you.  And  lo !  you  send  '  The  messages  that  my 
father  has  left,  do  not  these  messages  of  his  say  concerning 
this  that  he  established  alliance  between  us  ? '  This  is  the 
message  you  send.  JSTow  you  and  I  have  fulfilled  the  alli- 
ance, and  the  portion  is  before  your  envoys  as  they  will  say 
in  your  presence.  Is  not  all  to  be  given  by  us  to  her  who 
is  to  come  to  the  land  of  Egypt  whom  they  shall  bring  before 
me?  And  choose  one  of  them.  Now  I  have  sent  silver, 
gold,  unguents,  cloths,  all  whatsoever  the  land  can  give,  and 
the  overseer  will  say  what  is  the  value  of  that  which  he  has 
brought  —  every  gift  to  be  weighed  to  you,  that  my  envoy 
is  to  give.  And  we  have  been  shamed  by  the  evils  that  they 
speak.  They  have  refuted  the  abominations  —  the  evil 
things  that  they  told  you  of  us.  And  I  was  grieved  when 
they  ...  us  all  these  things.  Eor  is  it  not  of  their  deceit 
that  they  told  you  thus  ?  And  I  appointed  them  not  to  .  .  . 
them  about  this.  And  lo!  you  send  thus,  you  say  thus  to 
my  envoys,  '  There  are  no  soldiers  of  my  lord,  and  is  not  a 
young  girl  to  be  given  them  ? '  This  is  thy  message :  '  Thy 
envoys  said  for  thee  that  none  are  going  forth.  It  might  be 
done  safely  if  there  were  soldiers,  if  there  be  none  it  is  im- 
possible to  arrange  for  us  what  I  am  asked  by  him.  If 
there  are  soldiers  I  grant  it  you,  if  there  are  horses  I  grant 
you  this.'     This  reason  your  envoy  made  use  of  with  us,  who 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  347 

put  me  to  shame  —  the  evil  man  whom  you  sent.  I  pray 
thee  if  they  feared  to  be  slain,  and  lamented  evils  when  she 
went  out,  lo!  all  was  in  your  hands.  Thus  let  my  chariots 
be  granted  from  among  the  chariots  of  the  ruling  chiefs :  do 
not  you  regard  them  as  a  possession  'i  You  can  send  them 
wherever  you  please.  Are  not  they  all  a  possession  ?  Are 
not  there,  I  pray  you  also,  chariots;  are  not  there,  I  pray 
you,  horses  with  me?  Demand  all  my  horses:  the  chariots 
behold  you  shall  send  to  meet  you  at  the  stations.  As  for 
me  you  shall  send  me  the  girl,  and  send  out  one  to  lead  her 
to  me." 

3  B.  M. —  [This  is  broken  at  the  top,  but  supposed  to  be 
from  Callimmasin.] 

".  .  .  my  envoys  .  .  .  the  many  .  .  .  that  they  send  to 
me  I  .  .  .  Thou  my  brother  without  .  .  .  for  thy  daughter 
to  wed,  as  I  send  .  .  .  you  say  thus,  '  From  of  old  a  daugh- 
ter of  the  King  of  Egypt  was  not  given  for  anything.'  Why 
so?  Thou  art  a  King,  and  doest  thy  will.  As  they  spake 
this  message  to  me  I  then  sent  thus,  '  Many  of  your  daugh- 
ters are  grovni  up.  So  send  one  who  is  grown  up  as  I  ask 
for  her.'  Who  says  thus,  '  There  is  no  daughter  of  the  King 
to  give.'  Thou  hast  sent  without  inquiring  as  to  this.  Thou 
dost  not  rebuke  alliance  and  good-will,  as  you  send  approach- 
ing me  eagerly  as  to  a  taking  to  wife.  And  I  sent  to  you 
because  of  these  things,  in  brotherhood  and  good-will,  because 
eagerly  approaching  me  as  to  taking  a  wife.  My  brother, 
why  not  send  a  woman?  Why  am  I  repulsed?  I  myself 
have  sent  like  thee,  I  have  entrusted  a  woman.  As  there 
were  daughters  I  did  not  refuse  thee.  Why  associate  by 
taking  a  wife  as  ...  I  have  sent  to  thee  to  know  this  .  .  . 
all  your  .  .  .  so  .  .  .  they  said  your  .  .  .  Lo!  my  daugh- 
ter whom  I  have  sent  .  .  .  you  do  not  take  unwillingly,  con- 
senting to  whatever  you  desire  .  .  .  and  as  for  the  gold  that 
I  send  you,  your  envoy  has  agreed  with  me  as  to  the  amount 
of  the  gold  I  .  .  .  Behold  speedily,  within  this  year, 
whether  in  the  month  of  June  (Duzu)  or  in  the  month  of 
July  (Ab),  this  message  being  taken  away,  let  her  whom  I 
have  taken  be  ...  If  within  this  year,  in  June  or  in  July, 


348  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

I  send  you  the  gold,  you  shall  send  .  .  .  the  daughter  whom 
I  am  given  by  you,  and  you  in  return  shall  send  the  gold 
for  your  .  .  .  But  if  in  June  or  in  July  the  gold  is  not 
sent,  do  not  cause  her  whom  I  have  taken  to  be  sent  away. 
And  in  return  for  what  will  you  send  to  be  carried  away  her 
whom  I  have  taken.  Why,  indeed,  is  it  necessary  to  trouble 
about  gold?  Truly  sending  3,000  pounds  of  gold,  have  not 
I  completed  the  exchange  for  you,  and  have  not  I  given  my 
daughter  to  take  to  wife  ?  " 

Ashuruballit's  Letter 

9  B. — "  To  Amenophis  IV.,  the  great  King,  the  King  of 
Egypt,  my  brother,  thus  Ashuruballit,^^  King  of  Assyria,  the 
great  King,  thy  brother.  Peace  be  to  thee,  to  thy  house,  and 
to  thy  land.  I  was  very  glad  when  I  saw  your  envoys.  Let 
me  send  your  envoys  again  with  my  message.  I  have  sent 
as  a  present  for  you  a  chariot  of  the  royal  forces,  of  my  .  .  . 
and  two  horses  swift  and  sure.  A  chariot,  and  a  precious 
stone. 

"  The  sending  of  gold  from  your  land  that  has  formerly 
come  across  to  the  great  King  has  ceased.^'^  Why  should  he 
be  repulsed  from  your  sight?  They  have  taken  as  much 
gold  as  there  was ;  as  much  as  I  have  received,  which  also  I 
have  needed,  is  caused  to  be  sent. 

"  In  the  time  of  Assurnadinakhi,  my  ancestor,  they  sent 
to  the  land  of  Egypt  twenty  pounds  of  gold. 

"  In  the  time  that  the  King  of  Khani-Rabbatu  sent  to 
your  father,  to  the  land  of  Eg^^pt,  they  sent  him  twenty 
pounds  of  gold. 

".  .  .  To  the  King  of  Khani-Rabbatu  and  to  me  .  .  . 
you  have  sent  gold.  I  sent  .  .  .  and  you  .  .  .  from  the 
hands  of  my  envoys  .  .  . 

"  If  fortunately  your  face  is  favorable,  send  gold,  and 
let  him  who  executes  the  message  take  what  is  needed.  In 
return  let  our  envoys  be  sent  to  thee  from  us.     Your  envoys 

**  This  Kinpr's  date  has  been  placed  as  late  as  1400  B.C.,  but  the  dates 
are  not  accurately   fixed. 

♦sThia  interruption  was  probably  due  to  the  Syrian  revolt. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  349 

who  have  tarried  with  me  needing  men  to  guide  them  it  is 
granted,  in  order  that  I  may  send  this.  They  took  from  me 
men  to  guide  them  as  they  went  down.  Do  not  disgrace  my 
envoys,  and  do  not  delay  them  for  me.  Why  should  we  not 
in  future  send  out  envoys  ?  In  future  they  will  carry  news, 
in  future  they  will  be  sent  out  to  the  King  to  carry  the  news. 
And  in  future  let  it  be  declared,  '  Whosoever  of  us  is  treach- 
erous, let  him  be  destroyed  for  the  King.'  I  have  received 
envoys  thirteen  times,  why  should  not  other  envoys  beside 
from  the  King  in  future  again  .  .  ." 

Letters  from  Burnabukiash 

2  B.  M. — "To  Amenophis  IV.  (Nibkhuarririya),  King 
of  Egypt,  by  letter  thus  Burnaburiash,  King  of  Carandu- 
nias,^®  thy  brother.  I  am  at  peace.  May  there  be  much 
peace  to  thee,  to  thy  house,  thy  wives,  thy  sons,  thy  land,  thy 
lords,  thy  horses,  thy  chariots. 

"  Since  my  fathers  and  thy  fathers  spoke  good  things 
zealously,  sending  eagerly  to  make  presents,  and  m.aking 
friends  —  and  did  not  they  speak  eagerly  —  lo !  now  my 
brother  has  sent  two  manalis  of  gold  as  a  present  to  me.  Lo ! 
there  is  much  gold  beside,  which  your  father  sent,  and  as 
this  has  increased  beyond  what  your  father  gave,  why  should 
you  send  two  manalis  of  gold  ?  Lo !  I  have  received  much, 
even  very  much  gold,  which  remains  in  the  temple.  Enough 
gold  has  been  sent.  Why  should  you  send  two  manalis  of 
gold  ?  But  as  for  thee,  whatever  is  needed  in  thy  land  send 
for  it,  let  it  be  taken  of  me  for  thee. 

"  In  the  time  of  Kurigalzu,^'^  my  father,  all  the  Canaan- 
ites  sent  to  him  saying  thus,  '  What  sayest  thou  as  to  the 
setting  up  of  the  land.     It  is  weak.     What  sayest  thou  ? ' 

"  My  father  clave  to  thy  father.  He  sent  to  them  thus, 
'  It  has  been  sent  to  me  as  to  your  discontent.  If  you  are 
foes  with  the  King  of  Egypt,  my  brother,  you  must  cleave  to 
some  other.     Shall  not  I  go  out  against  you  for  this  ?    Shall 

46  Burnaburiash  appears  to  have  reigned  about  1400  B.C. 

47  This  indicates  the  beginning  of  the  Syrian  wars  in  the  reign  of 
Amenophis  III. 


350  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

not  I  destroy  you,  as  if  you  were  discontented  with  me  ? ' 
j\Jy  father  heard  them  not  because  of  your  father.  Now 
behold  Assyria  has  arrayed  against  me.  Did  not  I  send  to 
you,  as  to  their  thoughts  about  your  land?  Why  do  they 
send  against  me  ?  If  you  have  pity  on  me  it  will  never  be 
done.  They  will  fail  to  win  these  things.  I  have  sent  to 
thee,  as  a  present  for  thee,  three  manahs  of  precious  stones, 
fifteen  pairs  of  horses  for  five  wooden  chariots." 

3  B.  M. —  [The  salutation  is  the  same  as  in  the  preced- 
ing.] 

"  Since  the  time  of  Caraindas,  since  your  father's  envoys 
to  my  father  came  to  me,  until  now  there  has  been  good- 
will. Now  I  and  thou  are  well  with  each  other.  Your 
envoys  have  come  thrice  to  me,  making  also  presents,  what- 
ever was  sent.  And  I  have  sent  to  thee  whatever  present  has 
been  made.  As  for  me,  is  it  not  all  an  honor;  and  as  for 
thee,  have  not  I  honored  thee  in  all  ?  Your  envoy  whom 
you  send,  has  not  he  paid  the  twenty  manahs  of  gold  that  he 
has  brought  ?  And  as  for  the  gifts  that  remain,  is  not  the 
amount  five  manahs  of  gold  ?  " 

[Five  lines  of  the  letter  are  here  destroyed.  On  the  back 
of  the  tablet  it  continues :] 

"...  the  forces  of  the  land  of  Egypt  .  .  .  these  let  him 
gather  within  the  year,  which  thy  envoy  says  he  has  sent,  and 
he  shall  cause  the  women  of  the  princess  to  be  guided  to 
you,  any  time  that  you  order.  Let  me  ask  for  her  that  the 
speed  may  be  gTeater ;  and  having  been  delayed,  when  he  has 
made  speed  let  your  envoy  take  them,  and  he  shall  do  more 
than  they  did  before.  So  I  have  told  my  envoy  Sindisugab 
to  say.  So  let  them  both  station  the  chariots  speedily.  Let 
them  come  to  me,  and  let  them  make  proper  arrangements; 
so  let  my  envoy  and  your  envoy  come  to  me,  speedily  con- 
veyed. 

"  As  a  present  for  thee  I  have  sent  thee  two  manahs  of 
precious  stones ;  and  to  enrich  your  daughter  my  son's  wife  ^^ 
he  gave  a  .  .  .  and  an  amulet  to  cause  safety;  and  I  have 

4»  Apparently  a  Babylonian  princess  was  to  be  sent  to  Egypt,  and  an 
Kgyptian  princess  to  Babylon. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  351 

sent  thee  as  a  present  precious  stones  to  the  number  of  one 
thousand  forty  and  eight;  and  I  sent,  as  your  envoy  was 
sent  back  with  Sindisugab." 

[4  B.  M. —  With  the  same  salutation  as  before,  is  very 
much  broken.  It  contains  a  list  of  presents  sent  in  connec- 
tion with  the  same  royal  marriage  of  a  daughter  of  the  King 
of  Egypt  to  the  Babylonian  prince.  The  envoy's  name  was 
Sutti ;  the  presents  included  a  throne  of  strong  wood,  ivory, 
and  gold,  and  another  of  wood  and  gold,  with  other  objects 
of  gold  and  strong  wood.] 

6  B. —  [The  salutation  is  the  same,  but  the  Kings'  names 
are  spelled  "  Nabkhururia  "  and  "  Burnaburias."  This  tab- 
let is  very  much  injured.  It  refers  to  a  daughter  and  a 
promise.     It  continues :] 

"  He  takes  her  people  with  him  in  seven  chariots,  with 
seven  chariots  which  he  took  from  me;  all  that  belongs  to 
her,  behold  ...  let  me  send  her  people  to  you.  The  Kings 
who  ...  of  the  daughter  of  the  great  King,  in  five  chariots 
...  to  your  father  .  .  .  three  overseers  ...  us  he 
sent  .  .  ." 

[About  half  the  obverse  of  the  letter  is  then  lost,  and 
about  a  quarter  of  the  upper  part  of  the  back.  It  then  con- 
tinues :] 

"  If  the  arrangements  are  already  complete  ...  if  there 
are  no  previous  arrangements  let  .  .  .  to  send  Zalmu  for  the 
Eoyal  Princess,  for  Zalmu  ^^  was  your  envoy  whom  I  sent 
out,  let  him  come  ...  let  him  take  back  the  soldiers  whom 
he  has  sought  of  me,  and  let  him  take  ...  of  the  people  of 
the  neighborhood,  who  being  speedily  sent  he  may  take  back, 
and  let  them  add  as  many  as  .  .  . 

*'  Khai  your  chief,  whom  you  send,  is  given  soldiers  and 
a  chariot  of  our  .  .  .  and  send  plenty  of  soldiers  with  Khai, 
for  the  King's  daughter  .  .  .  and  otherAvise  do  not  send  the 
King's  daughter  to  travel  .  .  .  Do  not  delay ;  send  speedily 
...  in  the  course  of  this  year  you  shall  send  a  chariot  and 
soldiers,  so  gathering  ...  let  them  unite  as  many  as  he 
says  are  necessary. 

49  Zalmu  was  a  Babvlonian.     See  the  next  letter. 


352  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

"  Your  father  sent  much  gold  to  Curigalzu  ...  of  Curi- 
galzu,  the  quantity  thereof  increased  in  the  palace  ...  so, 
because  he  heard  the  Kings  (or  great  men)  who  gave  advice, 
thus  the  gold  .  .  .  the  Kings,  brotherhood,  and  good-v^'ill, 
peace,  and  fealty  .  .  .  the  .  .  .  increased  the  silver,  in- 
creased the  gold,  increased  .  .  . 

"  As  thy  present  I  have  sent  ...  of  precious  stones.  To 
the  Lady  of  thy  house  twenty  of  precious  stones :  so  my  wife 
causes  me  to  send,  because  very  greatly  .  .  .  and  as  she 
desires  shall  it  not  be  done,  as  I  rejoiced  being  glad  ...  let 
them  take  of  me  much  gold  for  thyself  ...  let  them  take 
of  me  according  as  I  .  .  .  may  it  come  quickly ;  and  has  not 
my  lord  ordered  thus,  that  your  envoy  should  bring  to  his 
brother  much  ...  so  let  me  send  to  thee  ..." 

7  B. —  [The  salutation  from  Burnaburiash  is  the  same  as 
in  the  preceding  lettere.     The  letter  continues :] 

"  On  the  day  that  my  brother's  envoy  arrived,  and  brought 
me  this  message,  his  envoy  came  wearied  to  my  presence: 
he  had  eaten  no  food,  and  had  drunk  no  strong  drink  .  .  . 
the  envoy  you  send  told  me  the  news,  that  he  had  not  brought 
to  me  the  caravan  on  account  of  wicked  men  from  whom  it 
was  not  safe.  So  he  has  not  brought  to  me  the  caravan.  The 
explanation  of  the  head  man  was,  because  of  fear  of  being 
destroyed,  which  my  brother  has  known  of.  Thus  as  I  de- 
sired explanation,  not  .  .  .  why  the  chief  did  not  .  .  .  his 
envoy,  why  he  had  not  sent  it,  had  not  .  .  .  my  brother's 
envoy  he  has  caused  to  say  this  .  .  .  '  Is  it  not  that  the 
region  was  at  strife  ? '  thus  .  .  .  your  brother  heard  this. 
He  has  sent  vou  salutation.  Who  is  it  that  has  told  my 
brother  thus  that  the  land  has  risen  ?  Your  brother  sends 
with  speed  to  salute  you,  as  wishing  to  hear  this.  Does 
not  he  send  his  envoy  to  thee  ?  I  have  told  him  then  to  say 
to  my  brother,  '  A  great  multitude  has  arisen,  and  the  land 
is  at  strife:  the  thing  is  true  that  thy  envoy  thus  said.  As 
thy  brother  heard  not  that  the  expedition  has  marched  on 
thee,  he  has  asked.  Has  not  he  sent  to  salute  thee  V  So  as 
I  asked  my  envoy,  he  said,  '  As  the  foe  has  arisen  let  him 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  353 

be  destroyed.'  My  brother,  have  not  I  ordered  this  ?  ^^ 
And  so  they  told  me  all  that  has  happened  in  my  brother's 
country,  and  is  not  all  this  explanation  necessary  i  And  all 
has  thus  happened  in  my  land,  and  as  for  me  is  it  not  all 
needful  ?  '  The  lawful  command  that  was  previously  in  the 
hands  of  our  kingdom  has  been  opposed,'  he  said.  We  have 
speedily  sent  salutation :  an  interchange  of  messages  between 
us  has  been  established  ...  to  your  presence  .  .  ." 

[Several  lines  are  here  missing  at  the  top  of  the  tablet  on 
the  back,  and  the  letter  then  goes  on  to  describe  difficulties 
in  the  sending  of  presents.] 

8  B. —  [The  same  salutation  from  Burnaburiash  to  Amen- 
ophis  IV.     The  letter  continues:] 

"  For  this  also  my  brother  we  speak  with  good-will  ea- 
gerly, and  we  cause  this  to  be  said  thus  with  eagerness  (or 
speed)  in  reply.  As  for  us  we  have  been  troubled  indeed. 
Lo!  the  merchants  who  have  returned  with  a  charge,  from 
the  land  of  Canaan,  have  spoken  in  my  hearing.  They  were 
anxious  on  account  of  the  charge  from  my  brother's  pres- 
ence, as  Sumatta,  the  son  of  Malumme,  from  the  city  of  Khin- 
natunu,  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  Sutatna,  son  of  Sarratu, 
of  the  city  of  Acca,  sent  their  soldiers:  they  perceived  my 
merchants,  and  they  spoiled  our  ...  I  sent  to  you  ...  let 
him  tell  you. 

"  The  Canaanites  in  your  country,  and  the  Kings  .  .  . 
in  your  country  have  violently  cut  off  .  .  .  the  silver  that 
they  carried  —  a  present  .  .  .  And  the  men  who  are  my 
servants  ...  has  smitten  them.  He  destroyed  our  wealth ; 
and  as  these  chiefs  he  has  caused  to  be  slain,  it  is  clear  that 
the  man  is,  indeed,  my  foe.  And,  indeed,  they  are  slaying 
a  chief  of  your  envoys :  when  he  was  an  envoy  between  us 
he  was  slain,  and  his  people  have  been  hostile  to  you,  and 
the  chief  my  foe,  Sumatta,  dogging  his  steps,  caused  him  to 
be  slain;  he  saw  him  and  slew  him.  And  the  other  chief 
Sutatna  the  Acchoite,  though  at  first  they  repelled  him,  sent 

50  Or  "advised  this."     The  foes  attacking  Egypt  were  at  some  dis- 
tance from  Babylonia,  and  the  news  only  came  by  the  envoy  from  Egypt. 
VOL.  I.— 23. 


354.  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

his  chiefs  against  him  ...  he  said  thus.  Behold  this  .  .  . 
ask  as  to  this,  truly  you  know  ...  I  have  sent  thee  as  a 
present  one  manah  of  precious  stones  .  .  .  my  envoy  speed- 
ily ..  .  truly  my  brother  has  known  ...  do  not  blame  my 
envoy  ...  let  him  be  speedily  sent  .  .  ." 

END    OF    THE    TEL-EL-AMARNA    LETTEES 


THE  GREAT  AGE  OF  ASSYRIA 

(889-626  B.C.) 


RECORDS  OF  THE  KINGS 


"  Their  fighting  men  I  slew.     Their  spoil  I  carried  away, 
Their  cities  I  threw  down,  dug  over,  and  burned  with  fire." 

—  A  COMMON  PHRASE  OF  THE  INSCRIPTIONS. 

"  Hezekiah  I  shut  up  like  a  caged  bird  in  Jerusalem,  his  royal 
city." 

—  KING  SENNACHERIB. 


EECORDS  OF  THE  ASSYRIAN  KINGS 

(INTRODUCTION) 

ASSYRIA  began  to  rise  to  military  power  as  early  as 
the  period  of  the  Tel-el- Amarna  letters  (1400  b.c.)- 
At  that  time  her  rulers  had  become  rivals  of  Babylon.  But 
the  fighting  Assyrian  kings  met  many  a  rebuff,  and  the  age 
of  their  actual  world-empire  scarcely  begins  until  we  come 
to  King  Shalmaneser  III.,  who  ruled  from  858  to  824  b.c. 
Shalmaneser  was  not,  like  the  earlier  Assyrian  kings,  a  mere 
marauder,  a  ravager  of  other  lands.  He  was  a  statesman, 
an  organizer,  who  tried  to  retain  permanent  hold  of  the 
regions  he  had  conquered,  and  to  restore  them  to  prosperity 
under  his  control.  Shalmaneser  III.  is  also  the  first  As- 
syrian king  of  whom  we  know  definitely  that  he  came  in 
contact  with  the  kings  of  Bible  story,  the  Hebrew  rulers  of 
Judah  and  Samaria,  and  the  Aramaic  kings  of  Damascus. 

Shalmaneser  asserts  his  victory  over  all  these  western 
kings;  but  when  we  allow  for  the  boastful  tone  of  Assyrian 
inscriptions  it  seems  probable  that  they  fairly  held  their  own 
against  him.  The  consolidation  and  extension  of  his  power 
were  mainly  in  his  own  valleys  of  the  Tigris  and  Euphrates. 
Several  of  Shalmaneser's  inscriptions  have  come  down  to 
us,  the  most  noted  being  the  one  here  given  and  known  as 
"  the  black  obelisk  "  inscription.  It  is  engraved  on  an  obe- 
lisk of  black  marble,  about  five  feet  high,  which  was  set  up  in 
his  capital.  On  all  four  sides  of  the  obelisk  there  are  sculp- 
tured figures  of  vassals  bringing  tribute,  among  them  being 
the  tribute  of  "  Jehu  of  Israel,"  of  Bible  fame. 

The  second  inscription  here  given  is  that  of  Tiglath- 
Pileser  IV.  (745-727  b.c).  This  king  carried  his  arms 
farther  eastward  in  Asia  than  any  other  Assyrian  general. 
The  names  of  conquered  cities  on  his  list  gradually  become 
strange  to  us  and  we  can  only  guess  to  what  point  he  really 

357 


358  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

penetrated.  Some  scholars  have  thought  he  even  crossed  the 
Indus  Eiver,  capturing  northwestern  India. 

ISText  come  the  longer  and  still  more  boastful  inscriptions 
of  Sargon  II.  (721-705  b.c.)  and  his  son  Sennacherib  (705- 
681  B.C.).  Both  of  these  grim  and  furious  destroyers  rav- 
aged the  surrounding  lands  with  a  cruelty  and  a  breadth  of 
successful  destruction  previously  unknown  even  to  Assyrian 
annals.  Again  and  again  Sargon  II.  records  of  a  captured 
city,  "  its  king  I  flayed  "  or  "  its  warriors  I  set  up  on  stakes." 
It  was  in  Sargon's  reig-n  that  the  kingdom  of  Israel  was 
finally  destroyed,  though  the  Jewish  history  rightly  attrib- 
utes the  final  attack  to  his  predecessor,  Shalmaneser  V.,  who 
began  the  campaign  but  died  before  completing  it.  Thus 
the  actual  destruction  of  Samaria,  the  capital  of  Israel,  was 
accomplished  by  Sargon,  and  it  was  he  who  dragged  the 
"  ten  tribes  "  of  the  Hebrews  away  to  Assyria  as  his  cap- 
tives and  so  utterly  dispersed  them  that  we  know  them  only 
as  the  ''  ten  lost  tribes."  Sargon  in  his  inscription  describes 
this  capture  of  Samaria,  its  rebellion,  and  its  second  capture. 

Sennacherib  also  tells  of  warring  in  Palestine,  and  boasts 
of  his  success  against  Hezekiah,  King  of  Judah.  He  makes 
no  mention  of  the  story  which  the  Bible  tells  of  his  losing 
an  army  by  pestilence;  but  then  the  Assyrian  kings  never 
mention  their  defeats.  We  know  that  their  campaigns  were 
sometimes  failures ;  but  we  have  to  read  between  the  lines  of 
their  boasting  to  discover  these.  Sennacherib  admits  quite 
plainly  that  he  did  not  conquer  Jerusalem,  but  only  held  its 
king  besieged  "  like  a  caged  bird,"  and  then  abandoned  the 
attack,  for  some  reason  which  he  did  not  care,  in  his  pom- 
pous record,  to  admit. 

History  knows  no  more  astounding  story  than  this,  of 
these  Assyrian  kings  marching  forth,  year  after  year,  to  bat- 
tle. It  is  tragic  as  it  is  terrible  to  follow  any  one  of  their 
records.  Each  year  had  its  campaign,  and  each  summoned 
tens  of  thousands  of  men  from  their  homes  to  go  marching 
into  unknown  lands  whence  many  never  returned.  "  Like 
an  ibex  I  climbed  to  the  high  peaks  against  them,"  boasts 
one  king,   ''  wherever  my  knees  had  a  resting-place,   I  sat 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  359 

down  on  a  rock."  And  again,  "  my  unrelenting  warriors 
entered  with  weariness  into  their  narrow  passes."  The  peo- 
ples of  these  far  lands  were  harried,  slain  with  torture  "  for 
the  honor  of  the  great  god  Ashur."  Their  homes  were  de- 
stroyed; and  if  the  next  year  any  of  them  ventured  to  lift 
their  heads  above  despair,  they  were  crushed  again.  There 
seemed  no  limit  to  Assyria's  savagery ;  no  interest  for  her 
kings  except  in  heaping  up  piles  of  human  heads.  Theirs 
was  the  military  spirit  gone  mad.  Mankind  may  well  read 
and  ponder  on  these  empty  boasts  of  "  glory." 


RECORDS  OF  THE  KINGS 


THE  BLACK  OBELISK  OF  SHALMANESER  IIL 

FACE  A 

Ashur,  the  great  Lord,  the  King  of  all 
the  great  gods ;  Anu,  King  of  the  spirits  of  heaven 
and  the  spirits  of  earth,  the  god.  Lord  of  the  world ;  Bel, 
the  Supreme,  Father  of  the  gods,  the  Creator; 
5  Hea,  King  of  the  deep,  determiner  of  destinies, 
the  King  of  crowns,  drinking  in  brilliance ; 
Rimmon,  the  crowned  hero,  Lord  of  canals;  the  Sun- 
god, 
the  Judge  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  urger  on  of  all ; 
Marduk,  Prince  of  the  gods.  Lord  of  battles ;  Adar,  the 

terrible, 
10  Lord  of  the  spirits  of  heaven  and  the  spirits  of  earth, 

the  exceeding  strong  god ;  Nergal, 
the  powerful  god.  King  of  the  battle ;  Nabu,  the  bearer 

of  the  high  scepter, 
the  god,   the  Father  above;   Beltis,   the  wife  of  Bel, 

mother  of  the  great  gods ; 
Ishtar,  sovereign  of  heaven   and  earth,   who  the   face 

of  heroism  perf ectest ; 
the  great  gods,  determining  destinies,  making  great  my 

kingdom. 
15  I  am  Shalmaneser,  King  of  multitudes  of  men,  prince 

and  hero  of  Ashur,  the  strong  King, 
King  of  all  the  four  zones  of  the  Sun  and  of  multitudes 

of  men,  the  marcher  over 
the  whole  world;  Son  of  Ashur-natsir-pal,  the  supreme 

hero,  who  his  heroism  over  the  gods 

has  made  good  and  has  caused  all  the  world  to  kiss  his 

feet; 

360 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  361 

FACE  B 

the  noble  offspring  of  Tiglath-Adar 
20  who  has  laid  his  yoke  upon  all  lands  hostile  to  him,  and 
has  swept  them  like  a  whirlwind. 

At  the  beginning  of  my  reign,  when  on  the  throne 

of  royalty  mightily  I  had  seated  myself,  the  chariots 

of  my  host  I  collected.     Into  the  lowlands  of  the  coun- 
try of  'Sime'si 
25  I  descended.     The  city  of  Aridu,  the  strong  city 

of  Ninni,  I  took.     In  my  first  year 

the  Euphrates  in  its  flood  I  crossed.     To  the  sea  of 
the  setting  sun  (the  Mediterranean) 

I  went.     My  weapons  on  the  sea  I  rested.     Victims 

for  my  gods  I  took  (for  sacrifice).     To  mount  Amanus 
I  went  up. 
30  Logs  of  cedar-wood  and  pine-wood  I  cut.     To 

the  country  of  Lallar  I  ascended.     An  image  of  my 
Royalty  in  the  midst  of  it  I  erected. 

In  my  second  year  to  the  city  of  Tel-Barsip  I   ap- 
proached.    The  cities 

of  Akhuni,  the  son  of  Adin  I  captured.     In  his  city  I 
shut  him  up.     The  Euphrates 

in  its  flood  I  crossed.     The  city  of  Dabigu,  a  choice 
city  of  the  Hittites, 
35  together  with  the  cities  which  were  dependent  upon  it, 
I  captured.     In  my  third  year  Akhuni, 

the  son  of  Adin,  from  the  face  of  my  mighty  weapons 
fled,  and  the  city  of  Tel-Barsip, 

FACE  C 

his  royal  city,  he  fortified.     The  Euphrates  I  crossed. 
The  city  unto  Assyria   I   restored.     I   took   it.     The 

town  which  is  on  the  farther  side 
of  the  Euphrates,  which  is  upon  the  river   'Sagurri, 
which  the  Kings 
40  of  the  Hittites  call  the  city  of  Pitru,* 

1  Pethor  iu  the  Old  Testament. 


362  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

for  myself  I  took.     At  my  return 

into  the  lowlands  of  the  country  of  Alzi  I  descended. 

The  country  of  Alzi  I  conquered. 
The  countries  of  Dayaeni  and  Elam,  and  the  city  of 

Arzascunu,  the  royal  city 
of  Arame,  of  the  country  of  the  Armenians,  the  country 

of  Gozan  and  the  country  of  Khupuscia. 
45  During  the  eponymy  of  Dayan-Ashur,  from  the  city  of 

Nineveh  I  departed.     The  Euphrates 
in  its  upper  part  I  crossed.     After  Akhuni,  the  son  of 

Adin,  I  went. 
The  heights  on  the  banks  of  the  Euphrates  as  his  strong- 
hold he  made. 
The  mountains  I  attacked,  I  captured.     Akhuni  with 

his  gods,  his  chariots, 
his  horses,  his  sons,  and  his  daughters  I  carried  away. 

To  my  city  Ashur 
50  I   brought  them.     In  that  same  year  the   country  of 

Kullar  I  crossed.     To  the  country  of  Zamua 
of  Bit-Ani  I  went  down.     The  cities  of  Nigdiara  of  the 

city  of  the  Idians 
and  Nigdima  I  captured.     In  my  fifth  year,   to  the 

country  of  Kasyari  I  ascended. 
The  strongholds   I  captured.     Elkhitti,   of  the   Serui- 

ans,  in  his  city  I  shut  up.     His  tribute 
to  a  large  amount  I  received.     In  my  sixth  year,  to  the 

cities  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Balikh 

FACE  D 

55  I    approached.     Gi'ammu,    their    governor,    they    had 
slain, 

To  the  city  of  Tel-abil-akhi  I  descended. 

The  Euphrates  in  its  upper  part  I  crossed. 

The  tribute  of  the  Kings  of  the  Ilittites, 

all  of  them  I  received.     In  those  days  Bir-idri  ^ 
60  of  Damascus,  Irkhulina  of  Hamath,  and  the  Kings 

2  This  is  the  Ben-hadad  of  Scripture. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  363 

of  the  Hittites  and  of  the  sea-eoasts  to  the  forces  of 
each  other 

trusted,  and  to  make  war  and  battle 

against  me  came.  By  the  command  of  Ashiir,  the  great 
lord,  my  lord, 

with  them  I  fought.     A  destruction  of  them  I  made. 
65  Their  chariots,  their  war-carriages,  their  war-material  ^ 
I  took  from  them. 

20,500  of  their  fighting  men  with  arrows  I  slew. 

In  my  seventh  year,  to  the  cities  of  Khabini,  of  the 
city  of  Tel-Abni,  I  went. 

The  city  of  Tel-Abni,  his  stronghold,  together  with  the 
cities  which  were  dependent  on  it,  I  captured. 

To  the  head  of  the  river,  the  springs  of  the  TigTis,  the 
place  where  the  waters  rise,'*  I  went. 
70  The  weapons  of  Ashur  in  the  midst  of  it  I  rested.     Sac- 
rifices for  my  gods  I  took.     Feasts  and  rejoicing 

I  made.  An  image  of  my  Royalty  of  large  size  I  con- 
structed. The  laws  of  Ashur  my  Lord,  the  rec- 
ords 

of  my  victories,  whatsoever  in  the  world  I  had  done,  in 
the  midst  of  it  I  wrote.  In  the  middle  of  the 
country  I  set  it  up. 

FACE  A,  BASE 

In  my  eighth  year,  Marduk-suma-iddin,  King  of  Kar- 
Duniash,"^ 

did  Marduk-bila-vu'sate  his  foster-brother  against  him 
rebel ; 
75  strongly  had  he  fortified  the  land.     To  exact  punish- 
ment ^ 

against  Marduk-suma-iddin  I  went.  The  city  of  the 
waters  of  the  Dhurnat  ^  I  took. 

3  Or,  "  furniture  of  battle." 

4  Or,  "  the  place  of  the  exit  of  the  waters  situated."     The  tablet  ia 
still  to  be  seen  near  the  town  of  Egil. 

5  That  is,  Babylon. 

6  Or,  "  to  return  benefits." 

T  The  Tornadotus  of  classical  geographers. 


364  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

In  my  ninth  campaign,  a  second  time  to  the  land  of 

Akkad  I  went. 
The  city  of  Gana-nate  I  besieged.     Marduk-bila-y'sate 

exceeding  fear 
of  Ashur  and  Marduk  overwhelmed,  and  to  save  his  life 

to 
80  the  mountains  he  ascended.     After  him  I  rode.     Mar- 

duk-bila-yu'sate  and  the  officers, 
the  rebels  ^  who  were  with  him,  with  arrows  I  slew. 

To  the  great  fortresses 
I  went.     Sacrifices  in  Babylon,  Borsippa,  and  Cuthah 

I  made. 
Thanksgivings  to  the  great  gods  I  offered  up.     To  the 

country  of  Kaldu  ^  I  descended.     Their  cities  I 

captured. 
The  tribute  of  the  Kings  of  the  country  of  Kaldu  I  re- 
ceived.    The  greatness  of  my  arms  as  far  as  the 

sea  overwhelmed. 
85  In  my  tenth  year,  for  the  eighth  time  the  Euphrates  I 

crossed.     The  cities  of  'Sangara  of  the  city  of  the 

Carchemishians  I  captured. 
To  the  cities  of  Arame  I  approached.     Ame,  his  royal 

city,  with  100  of  his  other  towns  I  captured. 
In  my  eleventh  year,  for  the  ninth  time  the  Euphrates  I 

crossed.     Cities  to  a  countless  number  I  captured. 

To  the  cities  of  the  Hittites 
of  the  land  of  the  Hamathites  I  went  do^vn.     Eighty- 
nine    cities    I    took.     Bir-idri    of    Damascus    and 

twelve  of  the  Kings  of  the  Hittites 
with    one    another's    forces    strengthened    themselves. 

A  destruction  of  them  I   made.     In  my  twelfth 

campaign,    for   the   tenth    time   the    Euphrates    I 

crossed. 
90  To  the  land  of  Pagar-khubuna  I  went.     Their  spoil  I 

carried  away.     In  my  thirteenth  year,  to  the  coun- 
try of  Yaeti  I  ascended. 

8 Or,  "the  Lord  of  Bin."  »  Sumer. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  365 

Their  spoil  I  carried  away.  In  my  fourteenth  year,  the 
country  I  assembled;  the  Euphrates  I  crossed. 
Twelve  Kings  against  me  had  come. 

I  fought.  A  destruction  of  them  I  made.  In  my  fif- 
teenth year,  among  the  sources  of  the  Tigris  and  the 
Euphrates  I  went.     An  image 

of  my  Majesty  in  their  hollows  I  erected.  In  my  six- 
teenth year,  the  waters  of  the  Zab  I  crossed.  To 
the  country  of  Zimri 

I  went.  Mardak-mudammik,  King  of  the  land  of 
Zimru,  to  save  his  life  the  mountains  ascended. 
His  treasure, 
95  his  army,  and  his  gods  to  Assyria  I  brought.  Yan'su, 
son  of  Khanban,  to  the  kingdom  over  them  I 
raised. 

FACE  B,  BASE 

In  my  seventeenth  year,  the  Euphrates  I  crossed.     To 

the  land  of  Amanus  I  ascended.     Logs 
of  cedar  I  cut.     In  my  eighteenth  year,  for  the  six- 
teenth time  the  Euphrates  I  crossed.     Hazael, 
of  Damascus,  to  battle  came.     1,221  of  his  chariots,  470 

of  his  war-carriages  with 
his  camp  I  took  from  him.     In  my  nineteenth  campaign, 

for  the  eighteenth  ^^  time  the  Euphrates  I  crossed. 

To  the  land  of  Amanus 
100  I  ascended.     Logs  of  cedar  I  cut.     In  my  twentieth 

year,  for  the  twentieth  time  the  Euphrates 
I  crossed.     To  the  land  of  Kahue  I  went  down.     Their 

cities  I  captured.     Their  spoil 
I  carried  off.     In  my  twenty-first   champaign,  for  the 

twenty-first  time  the  Euphrates  1  crossed.     To  the 

cities 
of  Hazael  of  Damascus  I  went.     Four  of  his  fortresses 

I  took.     The  tribute  of  the  Tyrians, 

10  The  King  counts  his  passage  of  the  river  on  his  return  from  Syria 
the  seventeenth  time  of  his  crossing  the  Euphrates. 


Q66  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

The  Zidouiaiis,  and  the  Gebalites  1  received.     In  my 
twenty-second    campaign,    for    the    twenty-second 
time  the  Euplirates 
105  I  crossed.     To  the  country  of  Tabalu  ^^  I  went  down. 
In  those  days  as  regards  the  twenty-four 

Kings  of  the  country  of  Tabalu  their  wealth  1  received. 
To  conquer 

the  mines  of  silver,  of  salt,  and  of  stone  for  sculpture  I 
went.     In  my  twenty-third  year 

the  Euphrates  I  crossed.     The  city  of  Uetas,  his  strong 
city, 

which  belonged  to  Lalla,  of  the  land  of  the  Milidians, 
I   captured.     The   Kings   of   the   country   of   Ta- 
balu 
110  had  set  out.     Their  tribute  I  received.     In  my  twenty- 
fourth  year,  the  lower  Zab 

I  crossed.     The  land  of  Khalimmur  I  passed  through. 
To  the  land  of  Zimru 

I  went  down.     Yan'su  King,  of  the  Zimri,  from  the  face 

of  my  mighty  weapons  fled  and,  to  save  his  life, 

ascended   the  mountains.     The  cities  of  'Sikhisatakli, 
Bit-Tamul,  Bit-Sacci, 
115  and  Bit-Sedi,  his  strong  cities,  I  captured.     His  fight- 
ing men  I  slew. 

His  spoil  I  carried  away.     The  cities  I  threw  down,  dug 
up,  and  with  fire  burned. 

The  rest  of  them  to  the  mountains  ascended.     The  peaks 
of  the  mountains 

I  attacked,   I  captured.     Their   fighting  men   I   slew. 
Their  spoil  and  their  goods 

I  caused  to  be  brought  down.     From  the  country  of 
Zimru   I   departed.     The  tribute   of  twenty-seven 
Kings 
120  of   the   country   of   Par'sua  *^    I   received.     From   the 
country  of  Par'sua  I  departed.     To 

11  The  Tubal  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  Tibareni  of  classical  geog- 
raphers. 

lii  The  Parthia  of  classical  authors. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  367 

the  strongholds  of  the  country  of  the  Amadai,^"  and  the 

countries  of  Arazias  and  Kharkhar  I  went  down. 
The  cities  of  Cua-cinda,  Khazzanabi,  Ermul, 
and  Cin-ablila,  with  the  cities  which  were  dependent  on 
them,  I  captured.     Their  fighting  men 

FACE  C,  BASE 

I  slew.     Their  spoil  I  carried  away.     The  cities  I  threw 

down,  dug  up,  and  burned  with  fire.     An  image  of 

my  Majesty 
125  in  the  country  of  Kharkhar  I  set  up.     Yan'su,  son  of 

Khaban,  with  his  abundant  treasures, 
his  gods,  his  sons,  his  daughters,  his  soldiers  in  large 

numbers    I    carried    off.     To    Assyria    I    brought 

them.     In  my  twenty-fifth  campaign, 
the  Euphrates  at  its  flood  I  crossed.     The  tribute  of  the 

Kings   of  the   Hittites,   all   of  them,    I   received. 

The  country  of  Amanus 
I  traversed.     To  the  cities  of  Cati,  of  the  country  of  the 

Kahuians,  I  descended.     The  city  of  Timur,  his 

strong  city, 
I  besieged,  I  captured.     Their  fighting  men  I  slew.     Its 

spoil  I  carried  away.     The  cities  to  a  countless 

number  I  threw  down,  dug  up, 
130  and  burned  with  fire.     On  my  return,  the  city  of  ]\Iaru, 

the  strong  city  of  Arame,  the  son  of  Agu'si, 
as  a  possession  for  myself  I  took.     Its  entrance-space  I 

marked  out.     A  palace,  the  seat  of  my  Majesty,  in 

the  middle  of  it  I  founded. 
In  my  twenty-sixth  year,  for  the  seventh  time  the  coun- 
try of  the  Amanus  I  traversed.     For  the  fourth 

time,  to  the  cities  of  Cati 
of  the  country  of  the  Kahuians  I  went.     The  city  of 

Tanacun,  the  strong  city  of  Tulca,  I  approached. 

Exceeding  fear 

IS  These  seem  to  be  the  Madai  or  Medes  of  later  inscriptions.  This 
is  the  first  notice  that  we  have  of  them.  It  will  be  observed  that  they 
have  not  yet  penetrated  into  Media  but  are  still  eastward  of  the 
Parthians. 


368  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

of  Ashur  my  lord  overwhelmed  him  and  when  he  had 

come  out  my  feet  he  took.     His  hostages  I  took. 

Silver,  gold, 
135  iron,  oxen,  and  sheep,  as  his  tribute  I  received.     From 

the  city  of  Tanacun  I  departed.     To  the  country  of 

Lamena 
I  went.     The  men  collected  themselves.     An  inacces- 
sible mountain  they  occupied.     The  peak  of  the 

mountain  I  assailed, 
I  took.     Their  fighting  men  I  slew.     Their  spoil,  their 

oxen,  their  sheep,  from  the  midst  of  the  mountain  I 

brought  down. 
Their  cities  I  threw  down,  dug  up,  and  burned  with 

fire.     To  the  city  of  Khazzi  I  went.     My  feet  they 

took.     Silver  and  gold, 
their  tribute,  I  received.     Cirri,  the  brother  of  Cati,  to 

the  sovereignty  over  them 
140  I   set.     On  my   return   to   the  country   of  Amanus   I 

ascended.     Beams  of  cedar  I  cut, 
I   removed,   to  my  city  Ashur  ^^    I   brought.     In   my 

twenty-seventh  year  the  chariots  of  my  armies  I 

mustered.     Dayan-Ashur, 
the    Tartan,^^    the   commander   of   the    wide-spreading 

army,  at  the  head  of  my  army  to  the  country  of 

Armenia  I  urged, 
I  sent.     To  Bit-Zamani  he  descended.     Into  the  low 

ground  to  the  city  of  Ammas  he  went  down.     The 

river  Arzane  he  crossed. 
'Seduri,  of  the  country  of  the  Armenians,  heard,  and  to 

the  strength  of  his  numerous  host 
145  he  trusted;  and  to  make  conflict  and  battle  against  me 

he  came.     With  him  I  fought. 
A  destruction  of  him  I  made.     With  the  flower  of  his 

youth  his  broad   fields   I   filled.     In   my   twenty- 
eighth  year, 


i«  The  Ellasar  of  Genesis,  now  Kalah  Shergat. 
IB  Turf  onu  ("chief  prince")   in  Assyrian. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  369 

when  in  the  city  of  Calah  I  was  stopping,  news  had  been 
brought  me,  that  men  of  the  Patinians 

Lubarni  their  lord  had  slain,  and  'Surri,  who  was  not 
heir  to  the  throne  to  the  kingdom,  had  raised. 

Dajan-Ashur,  the  Tartan,  the  commander  of  the  wide- 
spreading  army  at  the  head  of  my  host  and  my 
camp, 
150  I  urged,  I  sent.     The  Euphrates  in  its  ilood  he  crossed. 
In  the  city  of  Cinalua,  his  royal  city, 

a  slaughter  he  made.  As  for  'Surri,  the  usurper,  ex- 
ceeding fear  of  Ashur  my  lord 

overwhelmed  him,  and  the  death  of  his  destiny  he  went. 
The  men  of  the  country  of  the  Patinians,  from 
before  the  sight  of  my  mighty  weapons, 

FACE  D,  BASE 

fled,  and  the  children  of  'Surri,  together  with  the  sol- 
diers, the  rebels,  whom  they  had  taken,  they  deliv- 
ered to  me. 

Those  soldiers  on  stakes  I  fixed.     'Sa'situr  of  the  coun- 
try of  Uzza  my  feet  took.     To  the  kingdom 
155  over  them  I  placed  him.     Silver,  gold,  lead,   bronze, 
iron,  and  horns  of  wild  bulls  to  a  countless  number 
I  received. 

An  image  of  my  Majesty  of  great  size  I  made.  In  the 
city  of  Cinalua,  his  royal  city,  in  the  temple  of  his 
gods  I  set  it  up.     In 

my  twenty-ninth  year  my  army  and  camp  I  urged,  I 
sent.  To  the  country  of  Cirkhi  ^®  I  ascended. 
Their  cities  I  threw  down, 

dug  up,  and  burned  with  fire.  Their  country  like  a 
thunderstorm  I  swept.     Exceeding 

fear  over  them  I  cast.     In  my  thirtieth  year,  when  in 
the  city  of  Calah  I  was  stopping,  Day  an- Ashur, 
160  the  Tartan,  the  commander  of  the  wide-spreading  army, 

16  The  mountainous  country  near  the  sources  of  the  Tigris. 
VOL.  I.— 24. 


370  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

at  the  head  of  my  army  I  urged,  I  sent.     The  river 

Zab 
he  crossed.     To  the  midst  of  the  cities  of  the  city  of 

Khupusca  he  approached.     The  tribute  of  Datana, 
of  the  city  of  the  Khupuscians,  I  received.     From  the 

midst  of  the  cities  of  the  Khupuscians 
I  departed. ^^     To  the  midst  of  the  cities  of  Maggubbi, 

of  the  country  of  the  Madakhirians,  he  approached. 

The  tribute 
I  received.     From  the  midst  of  the  cities  of  the  country 

of  the  Madakhirians  he  departed.     To  the  midst  of 

the  cities  of  Udaci, 
165  of  the  country  of  the  Mannians,  he  approached.     Udaci, 

of  the  country  of  the  Mannians,  from  before  the 

sight  of  my  mighty  weapons 
fled,  and  the  city  of  Zirta,  his  royal  city,  he  abandoned. 

To  save  his  life  he  ascended  the  mountains. 
After  him  I  pursued.     His  oxen,  his  sheep,  his  spoil,  to 

a  countless  amount  I  brought  back.     His  cities 
I  threw  down,  dug  up,  and  burned  with  fire.     From  the 

country  of  the  Mannians  ^^  he  departed.     To  the 

cities  of  Sulu'sunu,  of  the  country  of  Kharru, 
he  approached.     The  city  of  Mairsuru,  his  royal  city, 

together  with  the  cities  which  depended  on  it,  he 

captured.     To  Sulu'sunu 
170  together  with  his  sons  mercy  I  granted.     To  his  coun- 
try I  restored  him.     A  payment  and  tribute  of 

horses  I  imposed. 
My  yoke  upon   him   I   placed.     To   the   city   of   Sur- 

dira  he  approached.     The  tribute  of  Arta-irri, 
of  the  citv  of  the  Surdirians,  I  received.     To  the  coun- 

try  of  Par'sua  ^^  I  went  down.     The  tribute  of  the 

Kings 
of  the  country  of  Par'sua  I  received.     As  for  the  rest  of 

the  country  of  Par'sua  which  did  not  reverence 

Ashur,  its  cities 

17  That  is  in  the  person  of  his  commander-in-chief,  Dayan-Ashur. 

18  The  modern  Van.  i^  Parthia. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  371 

I  captured.     Their  spoil,  their  plunder  to  Assyria  I 

brought.     In  my  thirty-first  year,  the  second  time, 

the  cyclical-feast 
175  of  Ashur  and  Rimmon  I  had  inaugurated.^"     At  the 

time  while  I  was  stopping  in  the  city  of  Calah, 

Dayan-Ashur, 
the  Tartan,  the  commander  of  my  wide-spreading  army, 

at  the  head  of  my  army  and  my  camp  I  urged,  I 

sent. 
To  the  cities  of  Data,  of  the  country  of  Khupusca,  he 

approached.     The  tribute  I  received. 
To  the  city  of  Zapparia,  a  stronghold  of  the  country  of 

Muzatsira,  I  went.     The  city  of  Zapparia,  together 

with 
forty-six  cities  of  the  city  of  the  Muzatsirians,  I  cap- 
tured.    Up  to  the  borders  of  the  country  of  the 

Armenians 
180  I  went.     Fifty  of  their  cities  I  threw  down,  dug  up,  and 

burned  with  fire.     To  the  country  of  Guzani  ^i  I 

went  down.     The  tribute 
of  Upu,  of  the  country  of  the  Guzanians,  of  the  country 

of  the  Mannians,  of  the  country  of  the  Buririans, 

of  the  country  of  the  Ivharranians,^^ 
of  the  country  of  the  Sasganians,  of  the  country  of  the 

Andians,^^  and  of  the  country  of  the  Kharkhanians, 

oxen,  sheep,  and  horses 
trained  to  the  yoke  I  received.     To  the  cities  of  the 

country  of  ...  I  went  down.     The  city  of  Perria 
and  the  city  of  Sitivarya,  its  strongholds,  together  with 

twenty-two  cities  which  depended  upon  it,  I  threw 

down,  dug  up, 

20  This  refers  to  his  assmning  the  eponymy  a  second  time  after  com- 
pleting a  reign  of  thirty  years.  At  this  period  the  Assyrian  kings 
assumed  the  eponymy  on  first  ascending  the  throne,  and  tlie  fact  that 
Shalmaneser  took  the  same  office  again  in  his  thirty-first  year  shows 
that  a  cycle  of  thirty  years  was  in  existence. 

21  The  Gozan  of  the  Old  Testament. 

22Haran  or  Harran  in  the  Old  Testament;  called  Carrhae  by  the 
classical  geographers. 

23  Andia  was  afterward  incorporated  into  Assyria  W  Sargon. 


372  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

185  and  burned  with  fire.     Exceeding  fear  over  them  I  cast. 
To  the  cities  of  the  Parthians  he  went. 

The  cities  of  Bustu,  Sala-khamanu,  and  Cini-khamanu, 
fortified  towns,  together  with  twenty-three  cities 

which  depended  upon  them,  I  captured.  Their  fight- 
ing-men I  slew.  Their  spoil  I  carried  oif.  To  the 
country  of  Zimri  I  went  down. 

Exceeding  fear  of  Ashur  and  Marduk  overwhelmed 
them.     Their  cities  they  abandoned.     To 

inaccessible  mountains   they   ascended.     Two   hundred 
and  fifty  of  their  cities  I  threw  down,  dug  up,  and 
burned  with  fire. 
190  Into  the  low  ground  of  Sime'si,  at  the  head  of  the  coun- 
try of  Khalman,  I  went  down. 

THE    EPIGRAPHS   ACCOMPANYING    THE    SCULPTURES 

I  The  tribute  of  'Su'a,  of  the  country  of  the  Guzanians : 
silver,  gold,  lead,  articles  of  bronze,  scepters  for  the 
King's  hand,  horses,  and  camels  with  double  backs : 
I  received 

II  The  tribute  of  Jehu,  of  the  land  of  Omri,  silver,  gold, 
bowls  of  gold,  vessels  of  gold,  goblets  of  gold, 
pitchers  of  gold,  lead,  scepters  for  the  King's  hand, 
and  staves :  I  received. 

Ill  The  tribute  of  the  country  of  Muzri :  ^^  camels  with 
double  backs,  an  ox  of  the  river  'Saceya,^^  horses, 
wild  asses,  elephants,  and  apes:  I  received. 

IV  The  tribute  of  Marduk-pal-itstsar,  of  the  country  of  the 

'Sukhians  ^^ :  silver,  gold,  pitchers  of  gold,  tusks  of 
the  wild  bull,  staves,  antimony,  garments  of  many 
colors,  and  linen:  I  received. 

V  The  tribute  of  Garparunda,  of  the  country  of  the  Patin- 

ians:  silver,  gold,  lead,  bronze,  gums,  articles  of 
bronze,  tusks  of  wild  bulls,  and  ebony  ^'^ :  I  received. 

24  This  is  the  Armenian  Muzri,  not  Egypt. 

25  This  would  seem  from  the  sculpture  to  mean  a  rhinoceros.     Lenor- 
mant,  however,  identifies  it  with  the  yak. 

26  Nomadic  tribes  in  the  southwest  of  Babylonia. 

2T  The  word  means  literally,  "  pieces  of  strong  wood." 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  373 


THE   NIMEOD   INSCRIPTION   OF   TIGLATH- 

PILESER  IV. 

The  palace  of  Tiglath-Pileser,  the  great  King,  the  mighty 
King,  King  of  the  whole  world,  King  of  Assyria, 
King  of  Babylon,  King  of  Sumer  and  Akkad,  King 
of  the  four  regions, 

the  mighty  one,  the  warrior,  who  with  the  help  of  .  .  . 
like  a  flood  overspread  them,  and  as  smoke  reckoned 
them  — 

the  King  who  at  the  command  of  Ashur,  Shamash,  and 
Marduk  the  great  gods  .  .  .  from  the  sea  ^  of  Bit- 
Yakin  to  Bikni  of  the  rising  of  the  sun, 

and  the  sea  of  the  setting  of  the  sun  to  Mutsri,^  from  the 
west  to  the  east  the  countries  ruled,  and  exercised 
kingship  over  them. 
5  From  the  beginning  of  my  kingship  to  seventeen  years  of 
my  reign.  The  peoples  of  Itu'a,  Rubu'a,  Khamar- 
ani,  Lukhuatu,  Kharibu,  Eubbu,  Rapiqu,  Khiranu, 
Rabilu, 

Natsiru,  Gulusu,  Nabatu,  Eakhiqu,  Ka  .  .  .,  Eummu- 
lutu,  Adilie,  Kiprie,  Ubudu,  Gurumu,  Bagdadu, 
Khindiru, 

Damunu,  Dunanu,  Nilqu,  Radie  Da  .  .  .,  Ubulu,  Kar- 
ma', Ambatu,  Ru'a,  Qabi'a,  Li'tau,  Marusu, 

Amatu,  Khagaranu,  the  cities  of  Dur-Kurigalzi, 
Adi  .  .  .,  Birtu  of  Sarragiti,  Birtu  of  Labbanat, 
Birtu  of  Kar-bel-matati, 

the  Arumu,^  all  of  them,  who  are  on  the  banks  of  the 
rivers  Tigris,  Euphrates,  and  'Surappi,  to  the  midst 
of  the  river  Uknie,  which  is  over  against  the  lower 

1  Literally,  "  the  bitter  river,"  at  the  head  of  the  Persian  Gulf. 

2  Egypt. 

3  The  Aramaeans. 


374  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

sea,  I  subdued,  with  slaughter  of  them  I  slaughtered, 
their  spoil  I  spoiled. 
10  The  Arumu,  as  many  as  there  were,  to  the  territory  of 
Assyria  I  added  them,  and  my  generals  as  governors 
over  them  I  set.  Upon  Tul-Kamri,  which  they  call 
the  city  Khumut, 

a  city  I  built ;  Kar-ashur  its  name  I  called ;  people  of  the 
countries,  the  spoil  of  my  hands,  in  the  midst  I 
placed.  In  Sippara,  Niffer,  Babylon,  Borsippa, 
Kutha,  Kish,  Dilbat,  and  Urbuk,  cities  without 
equals, 

splendid  sacrifices  to  Bel,  Zirbanit,  Nabu,  Tasmit,  Ner- 
gal,  Laz,  the  great  gods,  my  lords,  I  offered,  and 
they  loved  my  priesthood.  Broad  Kar-Duniash  ^  to 
its  whole  extent  I  ruled,  and 

exercised  kingship  over  it.  The  Puqudu  ^  as  it  were 
with  a  net  I  struck  down,  with  slaughter  of  them  I 
slaughtered,  much  spoil  of  them  I  spoiled.  These 
Puqudu  and  the  city  of  Lakhiru,  which  looks  toward 
the  midst  of  the  city  of  Khilimmu, 

and  the  city  of  Pillutu,  which  is  on  the  side  of  Elam,  to 
the  territory  of  Assyria  I  added,  and  in  the  hands  of 
my  general,  the  governor  of  Arrapkha  I  allotted. 
The  Kaldudu,  as  many  as  there  were,  I  carried 
away,  and 
15  in  the  midst  of  Assyria  I  settled.  Kaldu  ^  to  its  whole 
extent  like  dust  I  trod  it  down.  Nabuusabsi,  son  of 
Silani,  his  warriors,  close  to  'Sarrapanu,  his  city  I 
slew, 

and  himself  in  front  of  the  great  gate  of  his  city  on  a 
stake  I  lifted  up,  and  I  reduced  his  country  to  sub- 
jection. 'Sarrapanu  by  means  of  a  wall  and  batter- 
ing-engines I  captured.  55,000  people,  together 
with  their  goods, 

his  spoil,  his  stuff,  his  possessions,  his  wife,  his  sons,  his 

*  Babylonia. 

sThe'Pekod  of  Jer.  1.  21. 

8  The  Chaldeans  of  classical  antiquity,  Sumer. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  375 

daughters,  and  his  gods,  I  carried  off.  That  city, 
together  with  the  cities  which  are  in  its  neighbor- 
hood, I  destroyed,  I  laid  waste,  with  fire  I  burned, 
and  to  mounds  and  ruins  I  reduced. 

The  city  of  Tarbatsu  and  city  of  Yapallu  I  captured. 
30,000  people,  together  with  their  goods,  their  stuff, 
their  possessions,  and  their  gods,  I  carried  off. 
Tho:e  cities,  together  with  the  cities  which  are  in 
their  neighborhood 

like  a  ruin  of  the  deluge  I  destroyed.  Zaqiru,  son  of 
Sa'alli,  against  the  ordinances  of  the  great  gods 
sinned,  and  with  .  .  .  his  mouth.  Him  together 
with  his  great  men  with  my  hands  I  seized ; 
20  bonds  of  iron  I  put  upon  them,  and  to  Assyria  I  took 
them.  The  people  of  Bit-Sa'alli  were  afraid,  and 
the  city  of  Dur  .  .  .  for  their  stronghold  they  took. 

That  city  by  siege  and  storm  I  took,  and  as  earth  "^  I  reck- 
oned. 50,400  people,  together  with  their  goods, 
their  spoil,  their  stuff,  their  possessions,  his  wife,  his 
sons,  his  daughters,  and  his  gods,  I  carried  off. 

The  city  of  Amlilatu  I  captured.  The  people,  together 
with  their  goods,  its  spoil,  its  stuff,  its  possessions,  I 
carried  off.  Bit-Sa'alli  to  its  Avhole  extent  like  a 
deluge  I  overspread,  and  I  laid  waste  its  homesteads. 

Those  countries  to  the  territory  of  Assyria  I  added  Ukin- 
zir,^  son  of  Amukkan,  in  'Sapie,  the  city  of  his  king- 
ship, I  besieged  him ;  his  fighting  men  in  numbers  in 
front  of  his  great  gate  I  slew. 

The  groves  of  palms,  which  were  outside  his  wall,  I  cut 
down,  and  I  did  not  leave  one.  His  date-palms, 
which  are  the  growth  of  the  country,  I  destroyed,  and 
his  enclosures  I  broke  down,  and  filled  up  the  in- 
teriors. All  his  cities 
25  I  destroyed,  I  laid  waste,  with  fire  I  burned.  Bit-Silani, 
Bit-Amukkani,  and  Bit-Sa'alli  to  their  whole  extent 

7  Or,  literally,  "on  the  earth";  that  is,  "I  threw  to  the  ground," 
"  leveled  witli  the  ground." 

8  The  Khinziros  of  the  Greek  writers. 


376  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

like  a  ruin  of  the  deluge  I  destroyed ;  to  mounds  and 
ruins  I  reduced. 

The  tribute  of  Balasu,^  son  of  Dakkuri,  and  of  Nadin  of 
Larak,  silver,  gold,  precious  stones  I  received.  Mar- 
dukbaladan,  son  of  Yakin,  king  of  the  sea,^*^  who  in 
the  time  of  the  kings,  my  fathers,  into  the  presence 
of  none  of  them  had  come,  and 

kissed  their  feet,  fear  of  the  Majesty  of  Ashur  my  lord 
cast  him  down,  and  to  Sapia,  into  my  presence,  he 
came,  and  kissed  my  feet.  Gold,  the  dust  of  his 
country,  in  abundance. 

implements  of  gold,  necklaces  of  gold,  precious  stones, 
the  produce  of  the  sea,  beams  of  wood  .  .  .  parti- 
colored garments,  perfumes  in  abundance  of  all 
kinds,  oxen,  sheep,  as  his  tribute  I  received. 

The  countries  of  Namri,  Bit-'Sangibuti,  Bit-Khamban, 
'Sumurzu,  Barrua,  Bit-Zualzas,  Bit-Matti,  the  city 
of  Niqu,  which  is  in  the  country  of  Umliyas,  the 
countries  of  Bit-Taranzai,  Par'sua,  Bit-Zatti, 
30  Bit-Abadani,  Bit-Kap'si,  Bit-Sangi,  Bit-Urzakki,  Bit- 
Ishtar,  the  city  of  Zakruti,^^  the  countries  of  Gizin- 
ikissi,  Nissa,^^  the  cities  of  Tsibur,  Urimzan,  the 
countries  of  Ra'usan, 

.  .  .  ISTiparia,  Buztuz,  Ariarmi,  Burrumu-sarrani-itst- 
suru,  'Sak'sukni,  Araquttu,  Karzipra,  Gukinnana, 
Bit-'Sakbat,  Silkhazi, 

which  men  called  the  stronghold  of  the  Babylonian, 
Ruadi,  Bit-Dur,  Usqaqqana,  Sikra  the  land  of  gold, 
districts  of  remote  Media,  to  their  whole  extent  like 
dust  I  overwhelmed,  and 

their  fighting  men  in  numbers  I  slew.  60,500  people, 
together  with  their  goods,  their  horses,  their  mules, 
their  humped  oxen,  their  oxen,  their  sheep,  without 
number,  I  carried  off. 

9  This  name  corresponds  to  the  classical  Belesys. 

10  The  country  at  the  head  of  the  Persian  Gulf. 

"The  Asagartiya  of  the  Persian  cuneiform  texts,  the  Sagartians  of 
classical  geography  in  the  Zagros  mountains. 
12  The  Nisaea  of  classical  geography. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  377 

Their  cities  I  destroyed,  I  laid  waste,  and  with  fire  I 
burned ;  to  mounds  and  ruins  I  reduced.  The  coun- 
tries of  Namri,  Bit-'Sangibuti,  Bit-Khamban,  'Sum- 
urzu,  Bit-Barrua,  Bit-Zualzas, 
35  Bit-Matti,  Niqqu,  which  is  in  Umliyas,  Bit-Taranzai, 
Par'sua,  Bit-Zatti,  Bit-Abdadani,  Bit-Kap'si,  Bit- 
'Sangi,  Bit-Urzakki,  the  cities  of  Bit-Ishtar, 

and  Zakruti  of  remote  Media,  to  the  territory  of  Assyria 
I  added.  The  cities  which  were  in  them  anew  I 
built ;  the  worship  of  Ashur  my  lord  in  the  midst  I 
established ;  people  from  the  countries  the  conquests 
of  my  hands  therein  I  settled ; 

my  generals  as  governors  over  them  I  appointed ;  an  im- 
age of  my  kingship  in  Tikrakki,  the  cities  of  Bit- 
Ishtar  and  Tsibur,  the  countries  of  Ariarmi,  Barru- 
mu-sarrani-itstsuru, 

'Silkhazi,  which  men  called  the  stronghold  of  the  Baby- 
lonian, I  set  up.  The  tribute  of  Media  and 
Ellipai,^^  and  the  chiefs  of  the  cities  of  the  moun- 
tains, all  of  them,  as  far  as  Bikni, 

horses,  mules,  humped  oxen,  oxen,  and  sheep  ...  the 
might  and  majesty  of  Ashur  my  lord,  which  in  the 
mountains,  all  of  them  .  .  . 
40  ...  of  Ashur  my  lord  cast  him  down,  and  to  Dur-Tig- 
lath-Pileser,  the  city  which  .  .  .  into  my  presence 
he  came,  and  kissed  my  feet. 

.  .  .  mules,  oxen,  and  sheep,  weapons  .  .  . 

...  my  general  Ashurdaninani  to  the  land  of  the  mighty 
Medes,  the  land  of  the  rising  sun  .  .  . 

.  .  .  the  land  of  Kirkhu  in  its  totality  I  captured ;  to  the 
territory  of  Assyria  I  added  .  .  . 

...  of  my  kingship  therein  I  placed;  the  worship  of 
Ashur  my  lord  therein  I  established  .  .  . 
45  .  .  .  the  people  of  Ararat  'Sulumal  of  the  country  of  the 
Meliddians,"  Tarkhu-lara  of  the  Gangumians  .  .  . 

isEUip  was  the  district   of  which   Ekbatana  was   subsequently  the 
capital. 

i*Melid,  the  modern  Malatiyeh  in  eastern  Kappadokia. 


S78  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

.  .  .  Kustaspi,  of  the  country  of  the  Komageniaus,  to 

capture  and  plunder  .  .  . 
.  .  .  the  countries  of  Kistan  and  Khalpi  districts  of  .  .  . 
.  .  .  assunu  the  river  Sinzi,  the  canal  like  nabasi  .  .  . 
...  I  seized  them  in  the  midst  of  .  .  . 
50  .  .  .  royal  beds  .  .  . 


,  .  .  which  into  my  presence  .  .  . 

.  .  .  the  cities  of  the  Temanians,^^  the  Sabseans/®  the 

Khaiappians,  the  Bananians  .  .  . 
.  .  .  whom  no  one  knows,  and  whose  seat  is  distant,  the 
Majesty  of  my  Lordship  .  .  . 
55  .  .  .  camels,    she-camels,    perfumes    in    abundance    of 

all  kinds,  as  their  tribute  like  one  to  .  .  . 
Idibi'ili  as  a  watch  over  against  Eg}'pt  I  appointed.     In 

the  countries  all  of  them,  which  .  .  . 
The  tribute  of  Kustaspi  of  the  Komagenians,  Urik  of  the 

Quans,^^  Sibittibi'il  of  Gebal  .  .  . 
Enilu  of  Hamath,  Panammu  of  the  'Sam'lians,^^  Tark- 

hulara  of  the  Gamgumians,  'Sulumal  of  the  Melid- 

dians  .  .  . 
Uas-surme  of  Tubal,  Uskhitti  of  the  Tunians,  Urpalla  of 

the  Tukhanians,  Tukhamme  of  the  Istundians  .  .  . 
60  Matanbi'il  of  Arvad,  'Sanipu  of  Bit-Ammon,  'Salamanu 

(Solomon)  of  the  Moabites  .  .  . 
Mitinti  of  Ashkelon,  Jehoahaz  of  Judah,  Quasmelech  of 

Edom,  Muz  .  .  . 
Hanon  of  Gaza,  gold,  silver,  lead,  iron,  ahar,  parti-colored 

clothing,  garments,  the  dress  of  their  country,  pur- 
ple .  .  . 
.  .  .  the  produce  of  sea  and  land,  the  spoil  of  their  coun- 
try, the  treasure  of  royalty,  horses,  mules,  the  team 

of  a  yoke  ... 

IS  The  Teman  of  the  Old  Testament. 

18  'Sab'ai,  the  Sheba  of  the  Old  Testament, 

17  On  the  northern  shore  of  the  Gulf  of  Antioch. 

18  'Ramahla  lay  to  the  northeast  of  the  Gulf  of  Antioch,  ite  capital 
being  now  represented  by  the  mounds  of  Sinjirli. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  379 

Uas-surme  of  Tabal,  the  things  of  Assyria  sought  to  rival, 

and  into  my  presence  did  not  come ;  my  general  the 

Eabsak  .  .  . 
65  Khulli,  the  son  of  an  unknown  person,  ^®  on  the  throne  of 

his  royalty  I  seated.     10  talents  of  gold,  1,000  tal- 
ents of  silver,  2000  horses  ... 
my  general,  the  Eab-shakeh,  to  Tyre  I  sent.     Of  Mie- 

tenna  of  Tyre  150  talents  of  gold  .  .  . 
with   the  sense,   the  cunning,   the   penetrating  thought, 

which  the  chief  of  the  gods,  the  prince  Nudimmut  ^'^ 

gave  me,  a  palace  of  cedar  .  .  . 
and  an  entrance-hall  after  the  fashion  of  a  palace  of  the 

Hittites  for  my  majesty  in  Calah  I  built  .  .  . 
An  amount  of  earth  higher  than  the  former  palaces  of  my 

fathers   from  the   bed   of  the   Tigris    1   caused   to 

raise  .  .  . 
70  All  the  men  of  my  army,  such  as  were  cunning,  skilfully 

I  employed,  and  .  .  . 
20  great  cubits  below  the  rushing  ^^  water  stout,  squared 

stone  like   the  mass  of  a   mountain   I   piled,   and 

left  .  .  . 
their  terraces  I  laid  out,  and  their  foundations  I  fixed, 

and  I  raised  their  spires.     Half  a  gar,  two-thirds  of 

a  cubit  the  house  ...  I  devised,  and  .  .  . 
On  the  north  side  in  front  I  placed  their  gates,  with  ivory, 

usu-wood,     box-wood,     palm-wood,     box-wood  .  .  . 

juniper. 
The  tribute  of  the  kings  of  the  Hittites,  the  princes  of 

Aram  and  Kaldi,  whom  by  the  pre-eminence  of  my 

strength  I  had  subdued  to  my  feet  ...  I  stored 

therein. 
75  5 1/2  gci'^^  four  cubits  sheer  from  the  depth  of  the  water 

their  fabric  I  enclosed,  and  more  than  the  palaces  of 

all  lands  I  enlarged  .  .  .  their  work. 
With  beams  of  cedar,  well  grown,  which  like  the  fra- 

19  Literally,  "  the  son  of  no  one." 

20  The  god  Ea. 

21  Literally,  "  strong  " ;    i.e.,  "  strong-flowing." 


380  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

grance  of  the  wood  of  Khasurri  ^^  for  their  perfume 
are  good,  the  produce  of  Khamana,^^  Lebanon  and 
Ammanana, 

I  roofed  them,  and  made  them  fast.  To  show  forth  orna- 
ment .  .  .  stones,  the  work  of  hurkulluii,  I  made, 
and  therewith  I  furnished  the  gate. 

Doors  of  cedar  and  cypress,  in  pairs,  the  entering  in  of 
which  is  blissful,  whose  fragrance  breathes  upon  the 
heart, 

with  a  rim  of  bronze  and  shining  metal  I  bound,  and  in 
the  gates  I  fixed.  Lions,  bulls,  winged  bulls,  formed 
with  exceeding  cunning,  skilfully  fashioned, 
80  the  entrances  I  caused  to  hold,  and  for  wonderment  I  set 
up;  thresholds  looking  toward  the  sun,  of  paruti- 
stone,  at  their  base  I  laid  down,  and  I  made  glorious 
the  entrance. 

An  image,  too,  I  made  to  keep  guard  over  the  great  gods ; 
with  creatures  of  sea  and  land  I  surrounded  him; 
with  terror  I  invested  him. 

With  a  railing  of  gold,  silver,  and  copper  for  their  com- 
pletion I  surrounded  them,  and  I  made  their  forms 
to  shine. 

For  the  dwelling  of  my  royalty  its  buildings  I  raised; 
precious  stones,  the  work  ...  I  placed  within  it. 

The  palaces  —  "  Pleasure,"  "  Holding  abundance," 
"  King's  graciousness,"  "  Making  their  builder  grow 
old,"  for  their  names  I  called. 
85  The  gates  — "  Righteousness,"  "  Ordering  the  judgment 
of  the  princes  of  the  four  regions,"  "  Preserving  the 
tribute  of  mountains  and  seas," 

"  Causing  the  fulness  of  the  lands  to  enter  into  the  pres- 
ence of  the  King  their  lord,"  I  named  the  names  of 
their  gates. 

22  Khasur  was  the  name  of  one  of  the  spurs  of  Mount  Amanus. 

23  Amanus  at  the  head  of  the  Gulf  of  Antioch. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  381 


THE  i:n^scription  OE  SAEGON  II. 

(IN  HIS  PALACE  AT  KHORSABAD) 

Palace  of  Sargon,  the  great  King,  the  powerful  King,  King 
of  the  legions,  King  of  Assyria,  Viceroy  of  the  gods  at 
Babylon,  King  of  the  Sumers  and  of  the  Akkads,  favorite 
of  the  great  gods. 

The  gods  Ashur,  Nebu,  and  Marduk  have  conferred  on  me 
the  royalty  of  the  nations,  and  they  have  propagated  the 
memory  of  my  fortunate  name  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
I  have  followed  the  reformed  precepts  of  Sippara,  Nip- 
pur, Babylon,  and  Borsippa ;  I  have  amended  the  imper- 
fections which  the  men  of  all  laws  had  admitted. 

I  have  reunited  the  dominions  of  Kalu,  TJr,  Orchoe,  Erikhi, 
Larsa,  Kullab,  Kisik,  the  dwelling-place  of  the  god  La- 
guda ;  I  have  subdued  their  inhabitants.  As  to  the  laws 
of  Sumer  and  of  the  town  of  Harran,  which  had  fallen 
into  desuetude  from  the  most  ancient  times,  I  have  re- 
stored to  fresh  vigor  their  forgotten  customs. 

The  great  gods  have  made  me  happy  by  the  constancy  of 
their  affection,  they  have  granted  me  the  exercise  of  my 
sovereignty  over  all  kings ;  they  have  reestablished  obedi- 
ence upon  them  all.  From  the  day  of  my  accession  there 
existed  no  princes  who  were  my  masters;  I  have  not,  in 
combats  or  battles,  seen  my  victor.  I  have  crushed  the 
territories  of  the  rebels  like  straws,  and  I  have  struck 
them  with  the  plagues  of  the  four  elements.  I  have 
opened  innumerable  deep  and  very  extensive  forests,  I 
have  leveled  their  inequalities.  I  have  traversed  winding 
and  thick  valleys,  which  were  impenetrable,  like  a  needle, 
and  I  passed  in  digging  tanks  dug  on  my  way. 
5  By  the  grace  and  power  of  the  great  gods,  my  Masters,  I 
have  flung  my  arms ;  by  my  force  T  have  defeated  my  ene- 


382  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

mies.  I  have  ruled  from  latnau,^  which  is  in  the  middle 
of  the  sea  of  the  setting  sun,  to  the  frontiers  of  Egypt  and 
of  the  country  of  the  Moschians,  over  vast  Phenicia,  the 
whole  of  Syria,  the  whole  of  guli  muski  of  distant  Media, 
near  the  country  of  Bikni,  to  the  country  of  Ellip,  from 
Ras,  which  borders  upon  Elam,  to  the  banks  of  the  Tigris, 
to  the  tribes  of  Itu,  Kubu,  Haril,  Kaldud,  Hauran,  Ubul, 
Kuhua,  of  the  Litai  who  dwells  on  the  borders  of  the  Su- 
rappi  and  the  Ukne,  Gambul,  Khindar,  and  Pukud.^  I 
have  reigned  over  the  suti  hunters  who  are  in  the  terri- 
tory of  latbur,  in  whatever  it  was  as  far  as  the  towns  o'£ 
Samhun,  Bab-Dur,  Dur-Tilit,  Khilikh,  Pillat,  Dunni- 
Samas,  Bubi,  Tel-Khumba,  which  are  in  the  dependency 
of  Elam,^  and  Kar-duniash  ^  Upper  and  Lower,  of  the 
countries  of  Bit-Amukkan,  Bit-Dakkur,  Bit-Silan,  Bit- 
Sa'alla,  which  together  form  Chaldea  in  its  totality, 
over  the  country  of  Bit-Iakin,  which  is  on  the  sea-shore, 
as  far  as  the  frontier  of  Dilmun.  I  have  received  their 
tributes,  I  have  established  my  lieutenants  over  them  as 
governors,  and  I  have  reduced  them  under  my  suzerainty. 

This  is  what  I  did  from  the  beginning  of  my  reign  to  my 
fifteenth  year  of  reign : 

I  defeated  Khumbanigas,  King  of  Elam,  in  the  plains  of 
Kalu. 

I  besieged  and  occupied  the  town  of  Samaria,  and  took 
27,280  of  its  inhabitants  captive.  I  took  from  them  50 
chariots,  but  left  them  the  rest  of  their  belongings.  I 
placed  my  lieutenants  over  them;  I  renewed  the  obliga- 
tion imposed  upon  them  by  one  of  the  Kings  who 
preceded  me. 

Hanun,  King  of  Gaza,  and  Sebech,  Sultan  ^  of  Egypt,  allied 

1  Itanus,  or  Yatnan,  in  the  island  of  Crete,  became  afterward  the 
name  of  the  island  of  Cyprus. 

2  The  Pekod  of  the  Bible   (Jer.  i.  21;  Ezek.  xxiii.  23). 

3  Which  belongs  to  Elam. 

♦  Nearly  all  the  names  of  the  Elamite  towns  are  Semitic  (see  Gen.  x. 
22),  but  the  Susian  ones  are  not. 

5  This  is  the  word  siltan,  the  Hebrew  shilton  ("power"),  the  Arabic 
sultan. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  383 

themselves  at  Rapih  ^  to  oppose  me,  and  fight  against  me ; 
they  came  before  me,  1  put  them  to  flight.  Sebech 
yielded  before  my  cohorts,  he  fled,  and  no  one  has  ever 
seen  any  trace  of  him  since.  I  took  with  my  own  hand 
Ilanun,  King  of  Gaza. 

I  imposed  a  tribute  on  Pharaoh,  King  of  Egypt;  Samsie, 
Queen  of  Arabia ;  It-amar,  the  Sabean,  of  gold,  sweet 
smelling  herbs  of  the  land,  horses,  and  camels. 

10  Kiakku  of  Sinukhta  had  despised  the  god  Ashur,  and  re- 
fused submission  to  him.  I  took  him  prisoner,  and  seized 
his  30  chariots  and  7,350  of  his  soldiers.  1  gave  Sin- 
uhta,  the  town  of  his  royalty,  to  Matti  from  the  country 
of  Tuna,  I  added  some  horses  and  asses  to  the  former 
tribute,  and  appointed  Matti  as  governor. 

Amris  of  Tabal  had  been  placed  upon  the  throne  of  Khulli 
his  father;  I  gave  to  him  a  daughter  and  I  gave  him 
Cilicia,^  which  had  never  submitted  to  his  ancestors. 
But  he  did  not  keep  the  treaty  and  sent  his  ambassador  to 
Urzaha,  King  of  Armenia,  and  to  Mita,  King  of  the 
Moschians,  who  had  seized  my  provinces.  I  transported 
Amris  to  Assyria,  with  his  belongings,  the  members  of  his 
ancestors'  families,  and  the  magnates  of  the  country,  as 
well  as  100  chariots;  I  established  some  Assyrians,  de- 
voted to  my  government,  in  their  places.  I  appointed  my 
lieutenant-governor  over  them,  and  commanded  tributes 
to  be  levied  upon  them. 

Jaubid  of  Ilamath,  a  smith,^  was  not  the  legitimate  master 
of  the  throne ;  he  was  an  infidel  and  an  impious  man,  and 
he  had  coveted  the  royalty  of  Hamath.  He  incited  the 
towns  of  Arpad,  Simyra,  Damascus,  and  Samaria  to  rise 
against  me,  took  his  precautions  with  each  of  them,  and 
prepared  for  battle.  I  counted  all  the  troops  of  the  god 
Ashur ;  in  the  town  of  Karkar,  which  had  declared  itself 
for  the  rebel,  I  besieged  him  and  his  warriors,  I  occupied 

«  Raphia,  near  the  frontier  of  Egypt. 

7  Khilakku.     It  seems  to  be  identical  with  the  Sparda  of  Persian,  the 
Sepharad  of  Obadiah. 

8  The  condition  of  Jaiihid  before  his  accession. 


384  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Karkar  and  reduced  it  to  ashes.  I  took  him,  himself, 
and  had  him  flayed,  and  I  killed  the  chief  of  the  rioters 
in  each  town,  and  reduced  them  to  a  heap  of  ruins.  I 
recruited  my  forces  with  200  chariots  and  600  horsemen 
from  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  country  of  Hamath 
and  added  them  to  my  empire. 

Whilst  Iranzu,  of  Van,  lived,  he  was  subservient  and  de- 
voted to  my  rule,  but  fate  removed  him.  His  subjects 
placed  his  son  Aza  on  the  throne.  Urzaha,  the  Arme- 
nian, intrigued  with  the  people  of  Mount  Mildis,  Zikirta, 
Misiandi,  with  the  nobles  of  Van,  and  enticed  them  to 
rebellion ;  they  threw  the  body  of  their  Master  Aza  on  the 
top  of  the  mountains.  Ullusun,  of  Van,  his  brother, 
whom  they  had  placed  on  his  father's  throne,  did  homage 
to  Urzaha,  and  gave  him  22  fortresses  with  their  garri- 
sons. In  the  anger  of  my  heart  I  counted  all  the  armies 
of  the  god  Ashur,  I  watched  like  a  lion  in  ambush  and 
advanced  to  attack  these  countries.  Ullusun,  of  Van, 
saw  my  expedition  approaching;  he  set  out  with  his 
troops  and  took  up  a  strong  position  in  the  ravines  of  the 
high  mountains.  I  occupied  Izirti,  the  town  of  his 
royalty,  and  the  towns  of  Izibia  and  Armit,  his  formid- 
able fortresses,  I  reduced  them  to  ashes.  I  killed  all  that 
belonged  to  Urzaha,  the  Armenian,  in  these  high  moun- 
tains. I  took  with  my  own  hand  250  royal  members  of 
his  family.  I  occupied  55  royal  towns,  of  which  8  were 
ordinary  towns  and  11  impregnable  fortresses.  I  re- 
duced them  to  ashes.  I  incorporated  the  22  strong  towns, 
that  Ullusun  of  Van  had  delivered  to  him  with  Assyria. 
I  occupied  8  strong  cities  of  the  country  of  Tuaya  and 
the  districts  of  Tilusina  of  Andia ;  -1,200  men,  with  their 
belongings,  were  carried  away  into  slavery. 

Mitatti,  of  Zikirta,  had  secured  himself  against  my  arms ;  he 
and  the  men  of  his  country  had  fled  into  the  forests;  no 
trace  of  them  was  to  be  seen.  I  reduced  Parda,  the  town 
of  his  royalty,  to  ashes;  I  occupied  23  great  towns  in  the 
environs,  and  I  spoiled  them.  The  cities  of  Suandakhul 
and  Zurzukka,  of  the  country  of  Van,  took  the  part  of 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  385 

Mitatti;  I  occupied  and  pillaged  them.  Then  I  took 
Bagadatti  of  the  Mount  Mildis,  and  I  had  him  flayed.  I 
banished  Dayaukku  and  his  suite  to  Hamath,  and  I  made 
them  dwell  there. 

15  Then  Ullusun  heard  in  his  high  mountains  of  my  glorious 
exploits :  he  departed  in  haste  like  a  bird,  and  kissed  my 
feet ;  I  pardoned  his  innumerable  misdeeds,  and  I  blotted 
out  his  iniquities.  I  granted  pardon  to  him ;  I  replaced 
him  upon  the  throne  of  his  royalty.  I  gave  him  the  two 
fortresses  and  the  22  great  towns  that  I  had  taken  away 
from  Urzaha  and  Mitatti.  I  endeavored  to  restore  peace 
to  his  country.  I  made  the  image  of  my  Majesty:  I 
wrote  on  it  the  glory  of  the  god  Ashur,  my  Master,  I 
erected  many  fac-similes  of  it  in  Izirti,  the  town  of  his 
royalty. 

I  imposed  a  tribute  of  horses,  oxen,  and  lambs  upon  lanzu. 
King  of  the  river  country,  in  Hupuskia,  the  town  of  his 
power. 

Ashurlih,  of  Kar-Alla,  Itti,  of  Allapur,  had  sinned  against 
Ashur  and  despised  his  power.  I  had  Ashurlih  flayed. 
I  banished  the  men  of  Kar-Alla,  whoever  they  were,  and 
Itti,  with  his  suite,  I  placed  them  in  Hamath. 

I  took  the  inhabitants  of  the  towns  of  Sukkia,  Bala,  Ahitikna, 
Pappa,  Lallukni,  away  from  their  homes;  I  made  them 
dwell  at  Damascus  in  Syria. 

I  occupied  the  6  towns  of  the  country  of  Niksamma,  I  took 
with  my  own  hand  Nirisar,  governor  of  the  town  of  Sur- 
gadia ;  I  added  these  towns  to  the  satrapy  of  Parsuas. 

20  Bel-sar-usur  ^  was  King  of  the  town  of  Kisisim ;  I  had 
him  transported  to  Assyria  with  all  that  he  possessed,  his 
treasure,  the  contents  of  his  palace ;  I  put  my  lieutenant 
in  as  governor  of  the  town,  to  which  I  gave  the  name  of 
Kar-Marduk.  I  had  an  image  made  of  my  Majesty  and 
erected  it  in  the  middle  of  the  town.  I  occupied  6  towns 
in  the  neighborhood  and  I  added  them  to  his  government. 

I  attacked  and  conquered  Kibaba,  prefect  of  the  town  of 
Kharkhar,  I  took  him  and  the  inhabitants  of  his  country 

9  The  same  name  as  Belshazzar. 
VOL.  I.— 25. 


386  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

captive,  I  rebuilt  this  city  and  made  the  inhabitants  of 
the  provinces,  that  my  arm  had  conquered,  live  there,  I 
placed  my  lieutenant  as  governor  over  them.  I  named 
the  tovm  Kar-Sarkin;  I  established  the  worship  of  the 
god  Ashur,  my  Master,  there.  I  erected  an  image  of  my 
Eoyal  self.  I  occupied  6  towns  in  the  environs,  and 
added  them  to  his  government. 

I  besieged  and  took  the  towns  of  Tel-Akhi-tub,  Khindau, 
Bagai,  and  Anzaria;  I  transported  the  inhabitants  of 
them  to  Assyria.  I  rebuilt  them ;  I  gave  them  the  names 
of  Kar-Nabu,  Kar-Sin,  Kar-Ben,  Kar-Ishtar. 

To  maintain  my  position  in  Media,  I  have  erected  fortifica- 
tions in  the  neighborhood  of  Kar-Sarkin.  I  occupied  34 
towns  in  Media  and  annexed  them  to  Assyria,  and  I 
levied  annual  tributes  of  horses  upon  them. 

I  besieged  and  took  the  town  of  Eristana,  and  the  surround- 
ing towns  in  the  country  of  Bait-Ili ;  I  carried  away  the 
spoil. 

25  The  countries  of  Agag  and  Ambanda,^^  in  Media,  oppo- 
site the  Arabs  of  the  East,  had  refused  their  tributes ;  I 
destroyed  them,  laid  them  waste,  and  burnt  them  by  fire. 

Dalta,  of  Ellip,  was  subject  to  me,  and  devoted  to  the  wor- 
ship of  Ashur;  5  of  his  towns  revolted  and  no  longer 
recognized  his  dominion.  I  came  to  his  aid,  I  besieged 
and  occupied  these  towns,  I  carried  the  men  and  their 
goods  with  numberless  horses  away  into  Assyria. 

Urzana,  of  the  town  of  Musasir,  had  attached  himself  to 
Urzaha,  the  Armenian,  and  had  refused  me  his  allegiance. 
With  the  multitude  of  my  army,  I  covered  the  city  of 
Musasir  as  if  it  were  with  ravens,  and  he  to  save  his  life 
fled  alone  into  the  mountains. 

I  entered  as  a  ruler  into  Musasir.  I  seized  as  spoil  Ur- 
zana's  wife,  sons  and  daughters,  his  money,  his  treasures, 
all  the  stores  of  his  palace  whatever  they  were,  with 
20,100  men  and  all  that  they  possessed,  the  gods  Haldia 
and  Bagabarta,  his  gods,  and  their  holy  vessels  in  great 
numbers. 
1"  Ambanda  is  perhaps  the  Median  "  Kampanda." 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  387 

Urzaha,  King  of  Armenia,  heard  of  the  defeat  of  Musasir 
and  the  carrying  away  of  the  god  Haldia^^  his  god;  he 
cut  off  his  life  by  his  own  hands  with  a  dagger  of  his 
girdle.  I  held  a  severe  judgment  over  the  whole  of 
Armenia.  I  spread  over  the  men  who  inhabit  this 
country  mourning  and  lamentation, 

30  Tarhunazi,  of  the  town  of  Melid,  sought  for  revenge.  He 
sinned  against  the  laws  of  the  great  gods,  and  refused  his 
submission.  In  the  anger  of  my  heart,  I  crushed  like 
briars  Melid,  which  was  the  town  of  his  kingdom,  and  the 
neighboring  towns.  I  made  him,  his  wife,  sons  and 
daughters,  the  slaves  of  his  palace  whoever  they  were, 
■with  5,000  warriors,  leave  Tel-Garimmi ;  I  treated  them 
all  as  booty.  I  rebuilt  Tel-Garimmi;  I  had  it  entirely 
occupied  by  some  archers  from  the  country  of  Kham- 
manua,  which  my  hand  had  conquered,  and  I  added  it  to 
the  boundaries  of  this  country.  I  put  it  in  the  hands  of 
my  lieutenant,  and  I  restituted  the  surface  of  the  domin- 
ion, as  it  had  been  in  the  time  of  Gunzinan,  the  preceding 
King. 

Tarhular,  of  Gamgum,  had  a  son  Muttallu,  who  had  mur- 
dered his  father  by  the  arms,  and  sat  on  the  throne  against 
my  will,  and  to  whom  they  had  entrusted  their  country. 
In  the  anger  of  my  heart,  I  hastily  marched  against  the 
town  of  Markasi,  with  my  chariots  and  horsemen,  who 
followed  on  my  steps.  I  treated  Muttallu,  his  son  and 
the  families  of  the  country  of  Bit-Pa'alla  in  its  totality, 
as  captives,  and  seized  as  booty  the  gold  and  silver  and 
the  numberless  treasures  of  his  palace.  I  reinstated  the 
men  of  Gamgum  and  the  neighboring  tribes,  and  placed 
my  lieutenant  as  governor  over  them ;  I  treated  them  like 
the  Assyrians. 

Azuri,  King  of  Ashdod,^^  determined  within  himself  to  ren- 
der no  more  tributes;  he  sent  hostile  messages  against 
Assyria    to    the    neighboring   kings.     I    meditated    ven- 

11  We  find  in  the  inscriptions  of  Van  the  god  Haldi  as  god  of  the 
Armenians. 

15!  See  Isaiah  xx.  1. 


388  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

geance  for  this,  and  I  withdrew  from  him  the  govern- 
ment over  his  country.  I  put  his  brother  Akhimit  on  his 
throne.  But  the  people  of  Syria,  eager  for  revolt,  got 
tired  of  Akhimit's  rule,  and  installed  laman,  who,  like 
the  former,  was  not  the  legitimate  master  of  the  throne. 
In  the  anger  of  my  heart,  I  did  not  assemble  the  bulk  of 
my  army  nor  divide  my  baggage,  but  I  marched  against 
Ashdod  with  my  warriors,  who  did  not  leave  the  trace  of 
my  feet. 

laman  learned  from  afar  of  the  approach  of  my  expedition ; 
he  fled  beyond  Egypt  toward  Libya  (Meluhhi),^^  and  no 
one  ever  saw  any  further  trace  of  him.  I  besieged  and 
took  Ashdod  and  the  town  of  Gimtu-Asdudim;^*  I  car- 
ried away  captive  laman's  gods,  his  wife,  his  sons,  his 
daughters,  his  money,  and  the  contents  of  his  palace, 
together  with  the  inhabitants  of  his  country.  I  built 
these  towns  anew  and  placed  in  them  the  men  that  my 
arm  had  conquered. 

I  placed  my  lieutenant  as  governor  over  them,  and  I  treated 
them  as  Assyrians.  They  never  again  became  guilty  of 
impiety. 

35  The  King  of  Libya  lives  in  the  middle  of  the  desert,  in 
an  inaccessible  place,  at  a  month's  journey.  From  the 
most  remote  times  until  the  renewal  of  the  lunar  period 
his  fathers  had  sent  no  ambassadors  to  the  kings,  my  an- 
cestors, to  ask  for  peace  and  friendship  and  to  acknowl- 
edge the  power  of  Marduk.  But  the  immense  terror 
inspired  by  my  Majesty  roused  him,  and  fear  changed  his 
intentions.  In  fetters  of  iron  he  threw  him  (laman), 
directed  his  steps  toward  Assyria  and  kissed  my  feet. 

Muttallu,  of  Commagene,  a  fraudulent  and  hostile  man,  did 
not  honor  the  memory  of  the  gods,  he  plotted  a  con- 
spiracy, and  meditated  defection.  He  trusted  upon  Ar- 
gisti,  King  of  Armenia,  a  helper  who  did  not  assist  him, 
took  upon  himself  the  collection  of  the  tributes  and  his 

13  Meluhhi  is  not  Meroe,  but  Libya,  and  especially  the  Marmarica. 
The  name  seems  to  be  the  Milyes  of  Herodotus, 
1*  Asdudim  seepas  to  be  a  Hebr?iic  plural, 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  389 

part  of  the  spoil,  and  refused  me  bis  submission.  In  tbe 
anger  of  my  beart,  I  took  tbe  road  to  bis  country  witb  the 
chariots  of  my  power,  and  tbe  horsemen  who  never  left 
tbe  traces  of  my  feet.  Muttallu  saw  tbe  approach  of  my 
expedition,  he  withdrew  bis  troops,  and  no  one  saw  any 
further  trace  of  him.  I  besieged  and  occupied  bis  capital 
and  62  large  towns  all  together.  I  carried  away  bis  wife, 
his  sons,  his  daughters,  bis  money,  his  treasure,  all 
precious  things  from  bis  palace,  together  with  tbe  in- 
habitants of  bis  country  as  spoil,  I  left  none  of  them.  I 
inaugurated  this  town  afresh ;  I  placed  in  it  men  from 
the  country  of  Bit-Iakin,  that  my  arm  bad  conquered.  I 
instituted  my  lieutenant  as  governor,  and  subdued  them 
under  my  rule.  I  previously  took  from  them  150  char- 
iots, 1,500  horsemen,  20,000  archers,  1,000  men  armed 
witb  shields  and  lances,  and  I  confided  tbe  country  to  my 
satrap. 

While  Dalta,  King  of  Ellip,  lived,  he  was  submissive  and 
devoted  to  my  rule ;  the  infirmities  of  age,  however,  came 
and  he  walked  on  tbe  path  of  death.  Nibie  and  Ispa- 
bara,  tbe  sons  of  his  wives,  claimed  tbe  vacant  throne  of 
his  royalty,  the  country  and  the  taxes,  and  they  fought  a 
battle.  iSTibie  applied  to  Sutruk-Nakhunti,  King  of 
Elam,  to  support  bis  claims,  giving  to  him  pledges  for  his 
alliance,  and  the  other  came  as  a  helper.  Ispabara,  on 
bis  side,  implored  me  to  maintain  bis  cause,  and  to  en- 
courage him,  at  the  same  time  bowing  down,  and  bum- 
bling himself,  and  asking  my  alliance.  I  sent  seven  of 
my  lieutenants  with  their  armies  to  support  his  claims ; 
they  put  ISTibie  and  tbe  army  of  tbe  four  rivers,  which 
bad  helped  him  to  flight,  at  the  town  of  Mareobisti.  I  re- 
instated Ispabara  on  tbe  throne ;  I  reestablished  peace  in 
bis  country,  and  confided  it  to  his  care. 

Marduk-Baladan,  son  of  lakin,  King  of  Chaldea,  the  falla- 
cious, tbe  persistent  in  enmity,  did  not  respect  the  mem- 
ory of  the  gods ;  be  trusted  in  the  sea,  and  in  the  retreat 
of  the  marshes ;  he  eluded  the  precepts  of  the  great  gods, 
and  refused  to  send  bis  tributes.     He  bad  supported  as 


390  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

an  ally  Khumbanigas,  King  of  Elam.  He  had  excited  all 
the  nomadic  tribes  of  the  desert  against  me.  He  pre- 
pared himself  for  battle,  and  advanced.  During  twelve 
years, ^^  against  the  v^^ill  of  the  gods  of  Babylon,  the  town 
of  Bel,  which  judges  the  gods,  he  had  excited  the  country 
of  the  Sumers  and  Akkads,  and  had  sent  ambassadors  to 
them.  In  honor  of  the  god  Ashur,  the  father  of  the  gods, 
and  of  the  great  and  august  Lord  jMarduk,  I  roused  my 
courage,  I  prepared  my  ranks  for  battle.  I  decreed  an 
expedition  against  the  Chaldeans,  an  impious  and  riotous 
people.  Marduk-Baladan  heard  of  the  approach  of  my 
expedition,  dreading  the  terror  of  his  own  warriors,  he 
fled  before  it,  and  flew  in  the  night-time  like  an  owl,  fall- 
ing back  from  Babylon,  to  the  town  of  Ikbibel.  He  as- 
sembled together  the  towns  possessing  oracles,  and  the 
gods  living  in  these  towns  he  brought  to  save  them  to  Dur- 
lakin,  fortifying  its  walls.  He  summoned  the  tribes  of 
Gambul,  Pukud,  Tamun,  Euhua,  and  Khindar,  put  them 
in  this  place,  and  prepared  for  battle.  He  calculated  the 
extent  of  a  plethrum  in  front  of  the  great  wall.  He  con- 
structed a  ditch  200  spans  wide,  and  deep  one  fathom  and 
a  half.  The  conduits  of  water,  coming  from  the  Eu- 
phrates, flowed  out  into  this  ditch;  he  had  cut  off  the 
course  of  the  river,  and  divided  it  into  canals,  he  had 
surrounded  the  town,  the  place  of  his  revolt,  with  a  dam, 
he  had  filled  it  with  water  and  cut  off  the  conduits.  ]\Iar- 
duk-Baladan,  with  his  allies  and  his  soldiers,  had  the 
insignia  of  his  royalty  kept  as  in  an  island  on  the  banks 
of  the  river ;  he  arranged  his  plan  of  battle.  I  stretched 
my  combatants  all  along  the  river,  dividing  them  into 
bands ;  they  conquered  the  enemies.  By  the  blood  of  the 
rebels  the  waters  of  these  canals  reddened  like  dyed  wool. 
The  nomadic  tribes  were  terrified  by  this  disaster  which 
surprised  him,  and  fled ;  I  completely  separated  his  allies 
and  the  men  of  Marsan  from  him ;  I  filled  the  ranks  of 
the  insurgents  with  mortal  terror.  He  left  in  his  tent 
the  insignia  of  his  royalty,  the  golden  .  .  .,  the  golden 
15  From  721  to  709  B.C. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  391 

throne,  the  golden  parasol,  the  golden  scepter,  the  silver 
chariot,  the  golden  ornaments,  and  other  effects  of  con- 
siderable weight ;  he  fled  alone,  and  disappeared  like  the 
ruined  battlements  of  his  fortress,  and  I  entered  into  his 
retreat.     I  besieged  and  occupied  the  town  of  Dur-Iakin ; 
I  took  as  spoil  and  made  captive,  him,  his  wife,  his  sons, 
his  daughters,  the  gold  and  silver  and  all  that  he  possessed, 
the  contents  of  his  palace,  whatever  it  was,  with  consid- 
erable booty  from  the  town.     I  made  each  family,  and 
every  man  who  had  withdrawn  himself  from  my  arms, 
accountable  for  this  sin.     I  reduced  Dur-Iakin,  the  town 
of  his  power,  to  ashes.     I  undermined  and  destroyed  its 
ancient  forts.     I  dug  up  the  foundation-stone ;  I  made  it 
like  a  thunder-stricken  ruin.     I  allowed  the  people  of 
Sippara,  Nipud,  Babylon,  and  Borsippa,  who  live  in  the 
middle  of  the  towns,  to  exercise  their  profession,  to  en- 
joy their  belongings  in  peace,  and  I  have  watched  upon 
them.     I  took  away  the  possession  of  the  fields,  which 
from  remote  times  had  been  in  the  hand  of  the  Suti 
Nomad,  and  restored  them  to  their  rightful  owners.     I 
placed  the  nomadic  tribes  of  the  desert  again  under  my 
yoke,   and   I   restored   the  forgotten  land   delimitations 
which  had  existed  during  the  tranquillity  of  the  land.     I 
gave  to  each  of  the  towns  of  Ur,  Orchoe,  Erikhi,  Larsa, 
KuUab,  and  Kisik,  the  dwelling  of  the  god  Laguda,  the 
god  that  resides  in  each,  and  I  restored  the  gods,  who  had 
been  taken  away,  to  their  sanctuaries.     I  reestablished 
the  altered  laws  in  full  force. 
I  imposed  tributes  on  the  countries  of  Bet-Takin,  the  high  and 
low  part,  and  on  the  towns  of  Samhun,  Bab-Dur,  Dur- 
Tilit,  Bubi,  Tel-Khumba,  which  are  the  resort  of  Elam. 
I  transplanted  into  Elam  the  inhabitants  of  the  Comma- 
gene,  in  Syria,  that  I  had  attacked  with  my  own  hand, 
obeying  the  commands  of  the  great  gods  my  Masters,  and 
I  placed  them  on  the  territory  of  Elam,  in  the  town  of 
Sakbat.     Nabu-Pakid-Tlan  was  authorized  to  collect  the 
taxes  from  the  Elamites   in   order   to  govern   them;    I 
claimed  as  a  pledge  the  tovm  of  Birtu.     I  placed  all  this 


392  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

country  in  the  hands  of  my  lieutenant  at  Babylon  and  my 
lieutenant  in  the  country  of  Gambul. 

40  I  returned  alone  to  Babylon,  to  the  sanctuaries  of  Bel,  the 
judge  of  the  gods,  in  the  excitement  of  my  heart  and  the 
splendor  of  my  appearance ;  I  took  the  hands  of  the  great 
Lord,  the  august  god  Marduk,  and  I  traversed  the  way  to 
the  chamber  of  the  spoil. 

I  transported  into  it  154  talents  26  minas  10  drachms  of 
gold  russu,^^  1804  talents  20  minas  of  silver,^'^  ivory,  a 
great  deal  of  copper,  iron  in  an  innumerable  quantity, 
some  of  the  stone  ka,  alabaster,  the  minerals  pi  digili, 
flattened  pi  sirru  for  witness  seals,  blue  and  purple  stuffs, 
cloth  of  berom  and  cotton,  ebony;  cedar,  and  cypress 
wood,  freshly  cut  from  the  fine  forests  on  Mount  Amanus, 
in  honor  of  Bel,  Zarpanit,  Nabu,  and  Tasmit,  and  the  gods 
who  inhabit  the  sanctuaries  of  the  Sumers,  and  Akkads ; 
all  that  from  my  accession  to  the  third  year  of  my  reign.  ^^ 

TJpir,  King  of  Dilmun,  who  dwells  at  the  distance  of  30  para- 
sangs  ^^  in  the  midst  of  the  sea  of  the  rising  sun  and  who 
is  established  as  a  fish,  heard  of  the  favor  that  the  gods 
Ashur,  Wabu,  and  Marduk  had  accorded  me;  he  sent 
therefore  his  expiatory  gift. 

And  the  seven  Kings  of  the  country  of  lahnagi,  of  the  country 
of  latnan  (who  have  established  and  extended  their 
dwellings  at  a  distance  of  seven  days'  navigation  in  the 
midst  of  the  sea  of  the  setting  sun,  and  whose  name  from 
the  most  ancient  ages  until  the  renewal  of  the  lunar 
period  ^"^  none  of  the  Kings,  my  fathers,  in  Assyria  and 
Chaldea  had  heard),  had  been  told  of  my  lofty  achieve- 
ments in  Chaldea  and  Syria,  and  my  glory,  which  had 

ifi  12,544,  pd.  troy,  68. 

IT  152,227.  pd.  troy,  75.  A  royal  silver  drachm  is  about  seventy 
cents,  a  royal  mina  nearly  $44;  the  State  drachm  and  mina  is  the  half 
of  it.     A  silver  talent  is  about  $1300. 

18  Sargron  speaks  of  his  third  "  year  "  and  not  of  his  third  campaign, 
in  order  to  mark  what  he  had  already  accomplished  before  the  year  717. 

19  One  hundred  and  ten  miles. 

20  This  is  the  second  passage  where  Sargon  alludes  to  this  period  end- 
ing under  his  reign. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  393 

spread  from  afar  to  the  midst  of  the  sea.  They  subdued 
their  pride  and  humbled  themselves ;  they  presented  them- 
selves before  me  at  Babylon,  bearing  metals,  gold,  silver, 
vases,  ebony-wood,  and  the  manufactures  of  their  coun- 
try ;  they  kissed  my  feet. 

While  I  endeavored  to  exterminate  Bet-Iakin  and  reduce 
Aram,  and  render  my  rule  more  efficacious  in  the  country 
of  latbur,  which  is  beyond  Elam,  my  lieutenant,  the  gov- 
ernor of  the  country  of  Kue,  attacked  Mita,  the  Moschian, 
and  3,000  of  his  towns;  he  demolished  these  towns,  de- 
stroyed them,  burnt  them  with  lire,  and  led  away  many 
captives.  And  this  Mita,  the  Moschian,  who  had  never 
submitted  to  the  Kings,  my  predecessors,  and  had  never 
changed  his  will,  sent  his  envoy  to  me  to  the  very  borders 
of  the  sea  of  the  rising  sun,  bearing  professions  of  al- 
legiance and  tributes. 

45  In  these  days,  these  nations  and  these  countries  that  my 
hand  has  conquered,  and  that  the  gods  Ashur,  Nabu,  and 
Marduk  have  made  bow  to  my  feet,  followed  the  ways 
of  piety.  With  their  help  I  built  at  the  feet  of  the  musri 
following  the  divine  will  and  the  wish  of  my  heart,  a  town 
that  I  called  Dur-Sarkin  ^^  to  replace  Nineveh.^^  Xis- 
roch,  Sin,  Shamash,  Nabu,  Bin,  Ninip,  and  their  great 
spouses,  who  procreate  eternally  in  the  lofty  temple  of 
the  upper  and  the  nether  world  (Aralli)  blessed  the 
splendid  wonders,  the  superb  streets  in  the  town  of  Dur- 
Sarkin.  I  reformed  the  institutions  which  were  not 
agreeable  to  their  ideas.  The  priests,  the  nisi  ramhi, 
the  surmahhi  swpar,  disputed  at  their  learned  discussions 
about  the  pre-eminence  of  their  divinities,  and  the  effi- 
cacy of  their  sacrifices. 

21  Or  "  Dur-Sarkayan."  The  King  passes  rapidly  over  some  other 
peculiarities  which  he  inserts  in  other  texts,  namely,  the  measures  of 
the  town,  and  the  ceremonies  of  its  edification.  The  circuit  is  given  as 
containing  3  1-3  ners  (miles)  1  stadium  3  canes  2  spans,  or  24,740 
spans,  and  Botta's  measurings  afford  6,790  metres  (7,427  yds.).  This 
statement  gives  for  the  span,  with  a  slight  correction  in  the  fourth  deci- 
mal, 27,425  cm.  (10.797  ins.,  and  for  the  cubit  5,485  cm.  21.594  ins.). 

22  At  this  time  the  palace  of  Nineveh  was  still  in  ruins.  It  was  re- 
built by  Sennacherib. 


394  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

I  built  in  the  town  some  palaces  covered  with  the  skin  of 
the  sea-calf,  and  of  sandalwood,  ebony,  the  wood  of  mas- 
tic tree,  cedar,  cypress,  wild  pistachio-nut  tree,  a  palace  of 
incomparable  splendor,  as  the  seat  of  my  royalty.  I 
placed  their  dunu  upon  tablets  of  gold,  silver,  alabaster, 
tilpe  stones,  parut  stones,  copper,  lead,  iron,  tin,  and 
khibisti  made  of  earth.  I  wrote  thereupon  the  glory  of 
the  gods.  Above  I  built  a  platform  of  cedar-beams.  I 
bordered  the  doors  of  pine  and  mastic  wood  with  bronze 
garnitures,  and  I  calculated  their  distance.  I  made  a 
spiral  staircase  similar  to  the  one  in  the  great  temple  of 
Syria,  that  is  called  in  the  Phenician  language,  Bethil- 
anni.  Between  the  doors  I  placed  8  double  lions  whose 
weight  is  1  ner  6  soss,  50  talents  of  first-rate  copper,  made 
in  honor  of  Mylitta  .  .  .  and  their  four  huhur  in  mate- 
rials from  Mount  Amanus ;  I  placed  them  on  nirgalli. 
Over  them  I  sculptured  artistically  a  crovni  of  a  beast  of 
the  fields,  a  bird  in  stone  of  the  mountains.  Toward  the 
four  celestial  regions  I  turned  their  front.  The  lintels 
and  the  uprights  I  made  in  large  gypsum  stone  that  I 
had  taken  away  with  my  own  hand,  I  placed  them  above. 
I  walled  them  in  and  I  drew  upon  me  the  admiration  of 
the  people  of  the  countries. 

From  the  beginning  to  the  end  I  walked,  worshiping  the 
god  Ashur,  and,  following  the  custom  of  wise  men,  I  built 
palaces,  I  amassed  treasures. 

In  the  month  of  blessing,  on  the  happy  day,  I  invoked,  in 
the  midst  of  them,  Ashur,  the  father  of  the  gods,  the 
greatest  sovereign  of  the  gods  and  the  Istarat,^^  who  in- 
habit Assyria.  I  presented  vessels  of  glass,  things  in 
chased  silver,  ivory,  valuable  jewels  and  immense  pres- 
ents, in  great  quantities,  and  I  rejoiced  their  heart.  I 
exhibited  sculptured  idols,  double  and  winged,  some 
.  .  .  winged,  some  .  .  .  winged,  serpents,  fishes,  and 
birds,  from  unknown  regions  and  abysses,  the  .  .  .^^  in 

23  The  Hebrew  "  Astaroth,"  which   signifies  "  goddesses."     ( Compare 
Judges  X.  6.) 

24  Obscure. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  395 

high  mountains,  summits  of  the  lands  that  I  have  con- 
quered with  my  own  hand,  for  the  glory  of  my  royalty. 
As  a  worshiper  of  the  gods  and  the  god  Ashur,  I  sacri- 
ficed in  their  presence,  with  the  sacrifice  of  white  lambs, 
holy  holocausts  of  expiation,  in  order  to  withdraw  the 
gifts  that  had  not  been  agreeable  to  the  gods. 

He  has  granted  me  in  his  august  power  a  happy  existence, 
long  life,  and  I  obtained  a  constantly  lucky  reign.  I 
have  entrusted  myself  to  his  favor. 

50  The  great  Lord  Bel-El,  the  Master  of  the  lands,  inhabits 
the  lofty  tracts;  the  gods  and  Istarat  inhabit  Assyria; 
their  legions  remain  there  in  pargiti,  and  martahni. 

With  the  chiefs  of  provinces,  the  satraps,  wise  men,  astrono- 
mers, magnates,  the  lieutenants  and  governors  of  Assyria, 
I  have  ruled  in  my  palace,  and  administered  justice. 

I  have  bid  them  take  gold,  silver,  gold  and  silver  vessels, 
precious  stones,  copper,  iron,  considerable  products  of 
mountains  the  mines  of  which  are  rich,  cloth  of  berom 
and  cotton,  blue  and  purple  cloth,  amber,  skins  of  sea- 
calves,  pearls,  sandalwood,  ebony,  horses  from  higher 
Egypt,^^  asses,  mules,  camels,  oxen.  With  all  these  nu- 
merous tributes  I  have  rejoiced  the  heart  of  the  gods. 

May  Ashur,  the  father  of  the  gods,  bless  these  palaces,  by 
giving  to  his  images  a  spontaneous  splendor.  May  he 
watch  over  the  issue  even  to  the  remote  future.  May  the 
sculptured  bull,  the  protector  and  god  who  imparts  per- 
fection, dwell  in  day  and  in  night-time  in  his  presence, 
and  never  stir  from  this  threshold ! 

With  the  help  of  Ashur,  may  the  King  who  has  built  these 
palaces  attain  an  old  age,  and  may  his  offspring  multiply 
greatly!  May  these  battlements  last  to  the  most  remote 
future !  May  he  who  dwells  there  come  forth  surrounded 
with  the  greatest  splendor;  may  he  rejoice  in  his  cor- 
poral health,  in  the  satisfaction  of  his  heart  accomplish 
his  wishes,  attain  his  end,  and  may  he  render  his  mag- 
nificence seven  times  more  imposing! 

29  It  is  not  clear  what  animala  are  meant. 


396  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


THE  INSCEIPTION  OF  SENNACHERIB 

Sennacherib,  the  great  King,  the  powerful  King, 

the  Eang  of  the  world,  the  King  of  Assyria,  the  King  of 
the  four  zones, 

the  wise  shepherd,  the  favorite  of  the  great  gods, 

the  protector  of  justice,  the  lover  of  righteousness, 
5  he  who  gives  help,  who  goes  to  assist  the  weak, 

who  frequents  the  sanctuaries,  the  perfect  hero, 

the  manful  warrior,  the  first  of  all  princes, 

the  great,  he  who  destroys  the  rebellious, 

who  destroys  the  enemies ; 
10  Ashur,  the  great  rock,  a  kingdom  without  a  rival 

has  granted  me. 

Over  all  who  sit  on  sacred  seats  has  he  made  my  arms 
great, 

from  the  upper  sea  of  the  setting  sun, 

unto  the  lower  sea  of  the  rising  sun  ^ 
15  the  whole  of  the  black-headed  people^   has  he  thrown 
beneath  my  feet 

and  rebellious  princes  shunned  battle  with  me. 

They  forsook  their  dwellings ;  like  a  falcon 

which  dwells  in  the  clefts,  they  fled  alone  to  an  inacces- 
sible place. 

In  my  first  campaign  I  accomplished  the  destruction  of 
Marduk-baladan 
20  King  of  Kar-duniash,^  together  with  the  troops  of  Elam, 

his  allies,  near  Kish. 

In  the  midst  of  that  battle  he  left  his  encampment 

and  fled  alone,  and  saved  his  life. 

The  chariots,  horses,  freight-wagons,  and  mules 
25  which  he  left  in  the  onset  of  battle,  my  hands  seized. 

1  T^ke  Van  and  the  Persian  Gulf, 

2  The  inhabitants  of  Babylonia. 

3  Babylonia. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  397 

Into  his  palace  I  entered  joyously  and 
opened  his  treasure-house.     Gold,  silver, 
gold  and  silver  utensils,  costly  stones  of  every  kind, 
possessions  and  goods,  without  number,  a  heavy  spoil, 
his  women  of  the  palace, 
30  valets  de  chamhre,  youths  and  maidens, 
all  the  artizans,  as  many  as  there  were, 
the  portable  things  of  his  palace,  I  brought  forth  and 
counted  as  spoil.     By  the  power  of  Ashur  my  lord, 
75  of  his  powerful  cities,  the  fortresses  of  the  land  of 
Kaldi, 
35  and  420  smaller  cities  of  their  environs 

I  besieged,  captured,  and  carried  off  their  spoil. 
The  Arabians,  Aramaeans,  and  Chaldeans  of  Uruk, 
Nippur,  Kish,  Kharsak-kalamma,  Kutu,  and  Sippara 
together  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  who  had  com- 
mitted transgression, 
40  I  brought  forth  and  counted  as  spoil.     On  my  return 
march, 
the  Tu'muna,  the  Rikhikhu,  the  Yadaqqu, 
the  Ubudu,  the  Kipre,  the  Malakhu, 
the  Gurumu,  the  Ubulum,  the  Damunu, 
the  Gambulum,  the  Khindaru,  the  Eu'ua, 
45  the  Puqudu,  the  Khamranu,  the  Khagaranu, 
the  Nabatu,  the  Li'tau,  Aramaeans 
•who  were  rebellious,  I  conquered  together. 
208,000  people,  young  and  old,  male  and  female, 
7200  horses  and  mules,  11,073  asses,  5230  camels, 
50  80,100  cattle,  800,600  sheep,  an  immense 
spoil,  I  carried  away  to  Assyria. 
In  the  course  of  my  campaign,  I  received  from  Nabu- 

bel-shanati, 
the  prefect  of  the  city  Khararati,  gold,  silver, 
tall  palms,  asses,  camels,  cattle, 
55  and  sheep,  a  great  present. 

The  men  of  the  city  Khirimme,  a  rebellious  enemy, 
I  cast  down  with  arms,  I  left  not  one  alive, 
their  corpses  I  bound  on  stakes 


398  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

and  placed  them  round  the  city.     That  district 
60  I  took  anew.     1  steer,  10  rams, 

10  measures  *  of  wine,  20  measures  of  dates,  their  first 

fruits, 
for  the  gods  of  Assyria,  my  lords,  I  established  forever. 
In  my  second  campaign,  Ashur,  my  lord,  gave  me  con- 
fidence. 
Against  the  land  of  the  Cossseans,^  and  the  land  of  the 
Yasubigallai, 
65  who  in  former  times  to  the  kings,  my  forefathers, 

had    not    submitted,    I    marched.     Over    high,    wooded 

mountains, 
a  rough  country,  I  went  on  horseback. 
I  brought  up  the  chariot  of  my  feet,  with  ropes. 
A  steep  place  I  climbed  like  a  wild  bull. 
70  Bit-Kilamzakh,  Khardishpi,  Bit-Kubatti  — 

his  cities,  powerful  fortresses,  I  besieged  and  captured. 
Men,  horses,  mules,  asses, 
cattle,  and  sheep  from  them 

I  brought  forth,  and  counted  as  spoil;  but  their  small 
cities, 
75  without   number,   I   destroyed,   wasted,   and  made   like 
fields, 
the  tents,  their  dwelling-places,  I  burned  with  fire, 
I  reduced  to  ashes.     I  made  that  city  Bit-Kilamzakh 
into  a  fortress,  stronger  than  before 
I  made  its  walls ;  the  people  of  the  countries, 
80  the  possession  of  my  hands,  I  made  to  dwell  therein. 
The  people  of  the  land  of  the  Cossaeans,  and  of  the  land 

of  Yasubigallai, 
who  had  fled  before  my  arms, 

COLUMN  II 

from  the  mountains  I  made  them  descend, 

in  Khardishpi  and  Bit-Kubatti  I  made  them  settle; 

4  Imeri,    i.e.,    "  donkey-loads,"    the    original    meaning    of    the    word 
homer. 

5  Kasshi.     They  lived  in  the  mountains  on  the  east  of  Babylonia. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  399 

in  the  hands  of  my  deputy,  the  governor  of  Arrapkha,° 

I  placed  them ;  a  tablet  I  caused  to  be  prepared ; 
5  the  victory  of  my  hands  which 

I  had  gained  over  them  I  wrote  upon  it  and 

I  set  it  up  in  the  city.     I  turned  about  and 

to  the  land  of  Ellipi  ^  I  took  my  way. 

Before  me  Ispabara,  their  King,  left  his  strong  cities, 
10  his  treasure-houses,  and  fled 

away.     The  whole  of  his  extensive  land  I  wasted  like 
a  storm-wind. 

Marubishti  and  Akuddu,  cities 

of  his  royal  house,  together  with  34  small  cities  of  their 
environs, 

I  besieged,  took,  destroyed,  wasted,  and 
15  burned  with  fire;  the  inhabitants,  young,  old,  male  and 
female, 

horses,  mules,  asses,  camels, 

oxen,  and  sheep  without  number  I  drove  away  and 

I  made  his  land  desolate,  and  diminished  it. 

Sisirtu  and  Kummakhlum,  powerful 
20  cities,  together  with  the  small  cities  of  their  environs, 

the  land  of  Bit-Barru,  in  its  entire  extent, 

from  his  land  I  separated  and  to  the 

land  of  Assyria  added.     The  city  of  Ilinzash 

I  made  the  capital  and  fortress  of  that  territory  and 
25  changed  its  former  name ; 

Kar-Sennacherib  I  named  it. 

The  people  of  the  lands,  the  possession  of  my  hands,  I 
made  to  dwell  there. 

In  the  hands  of  my  deputy,  the  governor  of  Kharkhar,^ 

I  placed  them,  and  widened  my  territory.     On  my  return 
30  I  received  from  the  land  of  Media,^  far  away,  of  which 
land 

6  Hence  the  classical  name  of  the  district  of  Arrapakhitis,  on  the 
Upper  Zab;  now  Albak. 

"•  Ellipi  was  the  country  of  which  Ekbatana  was  subsequently  the 
center,  the  Media  of  classical  antiquity. 

fi  Kharkhar  adjoined  Ellipi  on  the  northeafit. 

»  Madai.     It  must  be  remembered  that  the  Medes  spoken  of  by  Sen- 


400  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

no  one  of  my  fathers  had  heard  the  name, 

a  heavy  tribute. 

I  placed  them  beneath  the  yoke  of  my  lordship. 

In  my  third  campaign  I  marched  to  the  land  of  the 
Hittites.i« 
35  Elula?us,  King  of  Sidon,  was  overcome  by  the  fear  of 
the  splendor 

of  my  lordship  and  fled  far  away 

to  the  sea  and  there  made  his  abode. 

Great  Sidon,  Little  Sidon, 

Bit-zitti,  Sarepta,  Makhalliba, 
40  Ushu,  Ekdippa,  Akko, 

his  powerful  cities,  fortresses,  pastures, 

and   cisterns,   and  his  fortifications,   the   power   of  the 
arms 

of  Ashur,  my  lord,  overcame  and  cast  at 

my  feet.     Ethobal  upon  the  royal  throne 
45  I  placed  over  them  and  a  tribute  of  my  lordship, 

yearly  and  unchangeable,  I  set  upon  him. 

Menahem  of  the  city  of  Samsimuruna, 

Ethobal  of  Sidon, 

Abdili'ti  of  Arvad, 
50  Urumilki  of  Byblos, 

Mitinti  of  Ashdod, 

Buduilu  of  Beth-Ammon, 

Kammusu-nadab  of  Moab, 

Malik-rammu  of  Edom, 
55  all  Kings  of  the  west  land, 

brought  rich  presents,  heavy  gifts  with  merchandise, 

before  me,  and  kissed  my  feet. 

And  Tsidqa,  the  King  of  Ashkelon, 

who  had  not  submitted  to  my  yoke,  I  brought  out,  the 
gods  of  the  house  of  his  fathers, 

nacherib  did  not  as  yet  inhabit  the  district  of  which  Ekbatana  subse- 
quently became  the  capital.  Hence  the  title  of  "  far  off,"  applied  to 
them  here. 

10  "  The  land  of  the  Hittites  "  had  now  become  a  generic  title,  signi- 
fying Syria  generally.  The  Hittite  kingdoms  at  Carchemish  and  else- 
where had  now  ceased  to  exist. 


THE  ASSYRIANS  ASSAULTING  A  CITY. 

A  sculptured  slab  uf  the  yimrod  Palace.  The  advancing 
soldiers  shoot  from  behind  screens,  an  armored  fort  batters  tJie 
wall,  and  impaled  prisoners  form  the  hachground. 


:ii».i    "6  ■ 


6    K 


•y<.    V 


..>>>  ;>^    i.iwjv^n-.,    ^^"'^     A\0'S\ 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  401 

60  himself,  his  wife,  his  sons,  his  daughters,  his  brothers, 
the  seed  of  the  house  of  his  fathers,  and  took  them  to 

Assyria. 
Sharru-ludari,  the  son  of  Rukibti,  their  former  King, 
I  established  over  the  people  of  Ashkelon;  the  giving  of 

tribute, 
a  present  to  my  lordship,  I  put  upon  him,  and  he  bears  my 
yoke. 
65  In  the  course  of  my  campaign  Beth-Dagon, 
Joppa,  Benebarqa,^^  Azuru, 
the  cities  of  Tsidqa,  which  had  not  quickly 
thrown  themselves  at  my  feet,  I  besieged,  I  took,  I  carried 

away  their  spoil. 
The  governors,  chiefs,  and  people  of  Ekron 
70  who  had  cast  Padi,  their  King  according  to  Assyrian 
right  and  oath, 
into  iron  chains,  and  had,  in  hostile  manner,  given  him 
to  Hezekiah  of  Judah  —  he  shut  him  up  in  prison  — 
feared  in  their  hearts.     The  kings  of  Egypt 
called  forth  the  archers,  chariots,  and  horses  of  the  King 
of  Melukhkhi, 
75  a  force  without  number,  and  came 
to  their  help ;  before  the  city  of  Eltekeh 
they  arranged  their  battle  array,  appealing 
to  their  weapons.     With  the  help  of  Ashur,  my  lord, 
I  fought  with  them  and  accomplished  their  defeat. 
80  The  chief  of  the  chariots  and  the  sons  of  the  King  of 
Egypt 
and  the  chief  of  the  chariots  of  the  King  of  Melukhkhi  my 

hands 
took  alive  in  the  fight.     Eltekeh  and 
Timnath  ^-  I  besieged,  I  took,  and  carried  away  their 
spoil. 

11  The  Beni-berak  of  Joeh.  xix.  45. 

12  See  Gen.  xxxviii.  12;  Josh.  xv.  10;  Judg.  xiv.  1,  etc.     The  place  is 
now  called  Tibneh. 

VOL.  I.— 26. 


4,02  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


COLUMN  III 


To  the  city  of  Ekron  I  went ;  the  governors 

and  princes,  who  had  committed  a  transgression,  I  killed 

and 
bound  their  corpses  on  poles  around  the  city. 
The  inhabitants  of  the  city  who  had  committed  sin  and 

evil 
5  I  counted  as  spoil ;  to  the  rest  of  them 

who  had  committed  no  sin  and  wrong,  who  had 
no  guilt,  I  spoke  peace.     Padi, 
their  King,  I  brought  forth  from  the 
city  of  Jerusalem ;  upon  the  throne  of  lordship  over  them 
10  I  placed  him.     The  tribute  of  my  lordship 
I  laid  upon  him.     But  Hezekiah, 
of  Judah,  who  had  not  submitted  to  my  yoke, 
I  besieged  46  of  his  strong  cities,  fortresses,  and  small 
cities  of  their  environs,  without  number,  and 
15  by  casting  down  the  walls  and  advancing  the  engines, 
by  an  assault  of  the  light-armed  soldiers,  by  breaches,  by 

striking,  and  by  axes 
I  took  them;  200,150  men,  young  and  old,  male  and 

female, 
horses,  mules,  asses,  camels,  oxen, 
and  sheep  without  number  I  brought  out  from  them, 
20  I  counted  them  as  spoil.     Hezekiah  himself  I  shut  up 

like  a  caged  birid  in  Jerusalem, 
his  royal  city ;  the  walls  I  fortified 
against  him,  and  whosoever  came  out  of  the  gates  of  the 

city  I  turned 
back.     His  cities,  which  I  had  plundered,  I  divided  from 

his  land 
and  gave  them  to  Mitinti,  King  of  Ashdod, 
25  to  Padi,  King  of  Ekron,  and  to  Tsil-Bal, 

King  of  Gaza,  and  thus  diminished  his  territory. 
To  the  former  tribute,  paid  yearly, 
I  added  the  tribute  of  alliance  of  my  lordship,  and 
laid  that  upon  him.     Hezekiah  himself 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  403 

30  was  overwhelmed  by  the  fear  of  the  brightness  of  my  lord- 
ship; 

the  Arabians  and  his  other  faithful  warriors 

whom,  as  a  defense  for  Jerusalem,  his  royal  city, 

he  had  brought  in,  fell  into  fear. 

With  30  talents  of  gold  and  800  talents  of  silver,  precious 
stones, 
35  gnkhli  daggassi,  large  lapis  lazuli, 

couches  of  ivory,  thrones  of  ivory, 

ivory,  usu  wood,  boxwood  of  every  kind,  a  heavy  trea- 
sure, 

and  his  daughters,  his  women  of  the  palace, 

the  young  men  and  young  women,  to  Nineveh,  the  city  of 
my  lordship, 
40  I  caused  to  be  brought  after  me,  and  he  sent  his  ambas- 
sadors 

to  give  tribute  and  to  pay  homage. 

In  my  fourth  campaign  Ashur  my  lord  gave  me  confi- 
dence. 

I  summoned  mv  masses  of  troops ;  to  the  land  of  Bit- 
Yakin^s 

I  made  them  march.     In  the  course  of  my  campaign 
45  I  accomplished  at  Bittutu  the  overthrow  of 

Shuzub,  the  Chaldean,  who  dwelt  in  the  marsh  land. 

He  was  overcome  by  the  fear  of  my  battle-line, 

he  lost  heart,  like  a  bird  he  fled  alone, 

his  trace  was  seen  no  more.     I  turned  about, 
50  to  the  land  of  Bit-Yakin  I  took  the  road. 

Marduk-baladan,  whose  overthrow,  in  the  course 

of  my  first  campaign,  I  had  accomplished  and 

his  power  dispersed,  feared  the  war-cry  of  my  powerful 
arms 

and  the  advance  of  my  strong  battle-line,  and 
55  the  gods  who  ruled  his  land  he  moved  in  their  shrines,  on 
ships 

he  embarked  them ;  to  the  city  of  Nagittu,  in  the  swamps, 

15  The  capital  of  Marduk-baladan,  in  the  marshes  in  the  south  of 
Babylonia. 


404  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

by  the  sea-coast,  he  fled  like  a  bird.     His  brothers,  the 

seed  of  his  fathers, 
whom  he  left  by  the  sea,  together  with  the  remaining 

people  of  this  land, 
from  Bit-Yakin,  marsh  and  meadow-land, 
60  I  brought  them  out,  counted  them  slaves.     I  returned  and 

destroyed  his  cities ; 
I  wasted  them,  and  made  them  like  plowed  land.     Upon 

his  confederate, 
the  King  of  Elam,  I  poured  out  fury. 
On  my  return  march  I  made  Asur-nadin-sum,  my  first- 
born son, 
the  scion  of  my  knees,  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  lordship 

and 
65  the  broad  land  of  Sumer  and  Akkad  I  made  subject  to 

him. 
In  my  fifth  campaign  the  men  of  Tumurri, 
Sarum,  Isama,  Kibsu,  Khalbada, 

Qua  and  Qana,  whose  dwellings,  like  the  nest  of  the  eagle 
the  king  of  birds,  were  located  upon  the  pinnacle  of 

Nippur,^* 
To  the  steep  mountain,  had  not  yielded  to  my  yoke. 
At  the  foot  of  mount  Nippur  I  placed  my  camp, 
with  my  followers  drawn  up 
and  my  unrelenting  warriors, 
I,  like  a  strong  wild  ox,  took  the  lead. 
Y5  Clefts,  ravines,  mountain  torrents,  difficult  high  floods 
in  a  chair  I  crossed,  places  impassable  for  the  chair 
I  went  down  on  foot,  like  an  ibex  I  climbed  to  the  high 

peaks 
against  them,  wherever  my  knees 
had  a  resting-place,  I  sat  down  on  a  rock ; 
80  waters  of  cold  streams,  for  my  thirst,  I  drank. 

Upon  the  peaks  of  wooded  mountains  I  pursued  them, 
I  accomplished  their  destruction ;  their  cities  I  took. 

1*  Mount  Taurus. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  4-05 

COLUMN  IV 

I  took  away  their  spoil,  destroyed,  wasted,  and  burned 
them  with  fire. 

I  turned  about  and  against  Maniae, 

King  of  the  city  of  Ukki,  in  the  land  of  Daie,  yet  uncon- 
quered,  I  took  the  road. 

Into  the  unopened  path,  the  steep  roads  before 
5  impassable  mountains,  before  me 

had  no  one  of  the  former  kings  marched. 

At  the  foot  of  Anara  and  Uppa,  powerful  mountains, 

I  placed  my  camp,  and  I,  upon  my  chair, 

with  my  unrelenting  warriors, 
10  entered,  with  weariness,  into  their  narrow  passes. 

With  difficulty  I  climbed  the  peaks  of  the  steep  mountains. 

Maniae  saw  the  dust  of  my  soldiers' 

feet,  forsook  Ukku,  his  royal  city 

and  fled  far  away.     I  besieged  and  took  Ukku. 
15  I  took  his  spoil  of  all  sorts,  property  and  possessions; 

the  treasure  of  his  palace  I  brought  out 

from  it  and  counted  as  spoil,  and  33 

cities  of  the  borders  of  his  territory  I  took.     People,  asses, 

cattle  and  sheep  I  brought  forth 
20  from  them.     I  destroyed,  wasted,  and  burned  them  with 

fire. 
In  my  sixth  campaign,  the  remaining  inhabitants  of  Bit- 

Yakin 
who  had  fled  before  my  powerful  arms,  like 
wild  asses,  and  had  moved  the  gods,  who  rule  their  lands, 
in  their  shrines,  and  had  crossed  over  the  great  sea 
25  of  the  setting  sun,  and  had  set  their  homes  in  Nagitu, 
of  the  land  of  Elam,  therefore  upon  ships  of  the  Hittites  ^* 

I  crossed  the  sea. 
Nagitu,  Nagitu-dibina,  with  Kilmu, 
Pillatu  and  the  land  of  Khupapanu,  districts 
of  the  land  of  Elam  I  took.     The  people  of  Bit-Yakin, 

with  their  gods, 

10  That  is,  Syrians. 


406  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

30  and  the  people  of  the  King  of  Elam  I  took,  and  left  behind 
no  settler. 

In  ships  I  brought  them ;  over  to  the  coast 

on  this  side  I  made  them  cross  and  take  the  road  to 
Assyria. 

The  cities  of  those  districts  I  destroyed,  wasted, 

burned  with  fire  and  made  them  heaps  and  plowed  land. 
35  On  my  return  Shuzub,  of  Babylon, 

who,  through  an  attack  on  the  land,  had  seized 

the  lordship  of  Sumer  and  Akkad,  in  open  battle 

I  defeated,  I  took  him  alive  with  my  own  hand, 

in  fetters  and  bands  of  iron  I  put  him,  and  to  Assyria 
40  I  brought  him.     The  King  of  Elam,  who  had  helped  him 

and  marched  to  his  aid,  I  overcame ; 

his  power  I  scattered,  I  broke  down  his  army. 

In  my  seventh  campaign  Ashur  my  lord  gave  me  confi- 
dence. 

To  the  land  of  Elam  I  marched.     Bit-Khairi 
45  and  Rasa,  cities  of  the  Assyrian  territory 

which,  in  the  reign  of  my  fathers,  the  Elamites  had  torn 
away  by  force. 

In  the  course  of  my  campaign  I  took,  and  seized  their 
spoil. 

My  royal  warriors  I  took  into  them. 

To  the  territory  of  Assyria  I  returned  them  and 
50  gave  them  into  the  hands  of  the  chief  of  Khaltsu  dur-sami- 
irtsiti. 

The  cities  of  Bubi,  Dunnisamas,  Bit-risia, 

Bit-uklame,  Duru,  Danti-Sulai, 

Siliptu,  Bit-asusi,  Karmubasa, 

Bit-gissi,  Bit-kappalani,  Bit-imbia, 
65  Khamanu,  Bit-arrabi,  Burutu, 

Dintu-sa-Sulai,  Dintu- 

sa-Turbititir,  Kharriaslaki,  Eabai, 

Rasu,  Akkabarina,  Tilukhuri, 

Khamranu,  Naditu,  with  the  cities  at  the  entrance 
GO  toward  Bit-bunaki,  Til-khumbi,  Dintu-sa- 

Dumean,  Bit-ubia,  Baltilisir, 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  407 

Tagallisir,  Sanakidati, 

Masutu-saplitu,  Sarkhuderi,  Alum-sa-tarbit, 

Bit-akhiddiua,  Ilteuba,  34  powerful  cities 
65  and  the  smaller  cities  in  their  environs 

without  number,  I  besieged,  took,  and  carried  off  their 
spoil, 

I  destroyed,  wasted,  and  burned  them  with  fire. 

With  the  smoke  of  their  burning,  like  a  dark  cloud 

I  covered  the  face  of  the  broad  heaven.     When  Kudur- 
Nakhundu, 
70  the  Elamite,  heard  of  the  taking  of  his  cities,  fear 

overcame  him.     He  made  his  remaining  cities  fortresses. 

He  left  Madakti,  his  royal  city,  and 

to  Khaidala,  which  is  among  the  far-away  mountains, 

took  his  way.     To  Madakti,  his  royal  city, 
75  I  ordered  the  march.     In  the  month  Tebet,  a  great  cold 

set  in,  the  heaven  poured  down  rain, 

rain  upon  rain  and  snow ;  streams  and  torrents 

from  mountains  I  feared.     I  turned  about  and 

took  the  road  to  Nineveh.     In  those  days, 
80  by  command  of  Ashur  my  lord,  Kudur-Xakhundi, 

COLUMN  V 

the  King  of  Elam,  did  not  live  three  months. 

On  a  day  not  destined  for  him  he  died  suddenly. 

After  him  Ummam-minanu,  without  judgment  and  intel- 
ligence, 

his  younger  brother,  set  himself  on  his  throne. 
5  In  my  eighth  campaign,  after  Suzub  had  been  carried  off, 

and  the  people  of  Babylon,  evil  devils  had  closed  their 
city  gates, 

their  heart  planned  the  making  of  a  rebellion. 

Around  Suzub,  the  Chaldean,  the  wicked,  the  base, 

who  has  no  strength,  a  vassal  under  the  control  of  the 
governor 
10  of  Lakhiru,  the  fugitive,  the  deserter, 

the  bloodthirsty,  they  gathered  and 

marched  into  the  marsh-land  and  made  a  revolt. 


408  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

I  surrounded  them  with  an  army  and  threatened  his  life. 

On  account  of  terror  and  distress  he  fled  to  Elam. 
15  As  infamy  and  wrong  were  around  him 

he  hastened  from  Elam  and  entered  Babylon. 

The  Babylonians  illegitimately  set  him  on 

the  throne,  and  the  lordship  of  Sumer  and  Akkad  en- 
trusted to  him. 

The  treasure-house  of  E-saggil  they  opened,  and  the  gold 
and  silver 
20  of  Bel  and  Zarbanit,  which  they  brought  from  their  tem- 
ples, 

they  gave  as  a  bribe  to  Umman-minanu,  the  King  of  Elam, 
who  was  without 

judgment  and  insight,  saying  to  him : 

"  Assemble  thy  army,  gather  thy  forces, 

hasten  to  Babylon,  help  us, 
25  our  confidence  art  thou."     He,  the  Elamite, 

whose  cities,  in  the  course  of  my  former  campaign 

against  Elam  I  had  taken,  and  turned  into  plow-land, 

took  no  thought,  he  received  the  bribe  from  them  and 

assembled  his  soldiers  and  forces;  his  chariots  and  bag- 
gage-wagons 
30  he  brought  together,  horses  and  mules  he  placed  in  spans. 

The  lands  of  Parsuas,  Anzan,  Pasini,  Ellipi, 

lazan,  Lagabra,  Karzunu, 

Dumuqu,  Sulai,  Samunu, 

the  son  of  Marduk-baladan,  Bit-adini,  Bit-amukkana, 
35  Bit-sillana,  Bit-salududakki,  Lakhiru, 

the  Puqudu,  the  Gambulum,  the  Khalatu,  the  Ruua, 

the  Ubulum,  the  Malakhu,  the  Rapiqu, 

the  Khindaru,  the  Damunu,  a  great  confederation, 

he  called  unto  him.     Their  great  throng  took  the 
40  road  to  Akkad  and  came  to  Babylon. 

Together  with  Suzub  the  Chaldean,  King  of  Babylon, 

they  made  an  alliance  and  united  their  forces, 

like  a  great  swarm  of  locusts,  on  the  surface  of  the  earth ; 

together,  they  came  to  do  battle 
45  against  me.     The  dust  of  their  feet  was  like  a  storm 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  409 

by  which  the  wide  heavens  are  covered  with 
thick  clouds.     Before  me  in  the  city  of  Khaluli, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Tigris,  the  line  of  battle  was  drawn  up. 
Before  me  they  stationed  themselves,   they  brandished 
their  arms. 
50  I  prayed  to  Ashur,  Sin,  Shamash,  Bel,  Nabu,  Nergal, 
Ishtar  of  Nineveh,  Ishtar  of  Arbela,  the  gods  of  my  con- 
fidence, 
to  overcome  my  powerful  enemy. 
My  prayers  they  quickly  heard,  they  came 
to  my  help.     Like  a  lion  I  raged  and  put  on 
55  my  cuirass  and  with  my  helmet,  sign  of  war, 
I  covered  my  head.     Into  my  high  war-chariot, 
which  wipes  out  the  refractory,  with  the  fury  of  my  heart 
I  climbed  quickly.     The  powerful  bow, 
which  Ashur  had  entrusted  to  me,  I  seized, 
60  the  javelin  which  destroys  life  I  seized  with  my  hand. 
Against  all  the  troops,  evil  enemies, 
oppressed,  I  roared  like  a  lion,  like  Ramman  I  raged. 
At  the  command  of  Ashur,  the  great  lord,  my  lord,  on 

flank  and  front, 
like  the  advance  of  a  wild  flood,  upon  the  enemy  I  fell. 
65  With  the  confidence  of  Ashur,  and  the  advance  of  my 
powerful 
line  of  battle,  I  struck  their  front  and  brought  about 
their  retreat     The  hostile  forces  with  arrow  and  lance 
I  destroyed,  through  the  mass  of  their  corpses  I  cleared 

my  way. 
Khumba-nudasa,  chief 
70  of  the  King  of  Elam,  a  careful  champion,  who  ruled 
his   troops,    in    whom    he    had    great    confidence,    him, 

together  with  his  chief  men, 
whose  girdle-dagger  was  embossed  with  gold,  and  whose 

wrists 
were  bound  with  double  bracelets  of  shining  gold, 
like  fat  steers,  laid  in  chains, 
75  I  quickly  destroyed,  and  accomplished  their  defeat. 
Their  necks  I  cut  off  like  lambs, 


410  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

their  precious  lives  I  cut  tiirough  like  a  knot ; 
like  a  heavy  rain,  their  trophies  and  arms 
I  scattered  over  the  wide  field. 
80  The  chargers  of  my  chariot 

swam  in  the  masses  of  blood  as  in  a  river, 

crushing  evil  and  bad ; 

blood  and  filth  ran  down  its  wheel. 

With  the  corpses  of  their  warriors,  as  with  herbs 

I  filled  the  field.     I  cut  off  their  testicles. 

COLUMN  VI 

Their  pudenda  I  tore  from  them  like  the  seed  of 

cucumbers.     I  cut  off  their  hands. 

The  bracelets  of  gold  and  silver,  which  were  on  their 

arms,  I  took  off. 
With  sharp  swords  I  cut  off  their  noses. 
5  The  gold  and  silver  girdle-daggers,  which  they  carried,  I 

took  away. 
The  rest  of  his  officers,  and  Nabu-sum-iskun, 
the  son  of  Marduk-baladan,  who  feared 
my  line  of  battle,  but  had  gone  with  them,  in  the  midst 
of  the  battle  I  seized  them  alive,  with  my  hands.     Their 

chariots 
10  with  their  horses,  whose  drivers,  in  the  onset  of  battle, 
had  been  killed,  while  they  were  left 
and  went  up  and  down  by  themselves, 
these  I  turned  together.     Until  the  fourth  hour  of  the 

night  it  went  on. 
Then  I  stopped  their  slaughter.     Umman-minanu, 
15  King  of  Elam,  together  with  the  King  of  Babylon,  the 

princes 
of  Chaldea,  who  had  helped  them,  the  vehemence  of  my 

battle-line,  like  a  bull 
overwhelmed  them.     They  left  their  tents. 
To  save  their  lives  they  trampled  over  the  bodies  of 
their  soldiers  and  fled.     Like  young  captured  birds  they 

lost  courage. 
20  With  their  urine  thev  defiled  their  chariots 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  411 

and  let  fall  their  excrement.     To  pursue  them 

I  sent  my  chariots  and  horses  after  them. 

Their  fugitives,  who  had  gone  out  to  save  their  lives 

wherever  they  were  overtaken,   were   thrown   down   by 
arms. 
25  In  those  days,  after  I  had  finished  the  palace  adjoining 
the  wall  of 

Nineveh  for  a  royal  dwelling,  and 

to  the  astonishment  of  all  people  had  adorned  it ; 

the  side  building,  for  keeping  in  order  the  train, 

for  the  keeping  of  horses,  and  all  sorts  of  things 
30  which  the  kings,  my  forefathers  and  fathers,  had  built, 

it  had  no  foundation,  its  room  was  too  small, 

the  workmanship  was  not  tasteful.     In   the  course   of 
time,  its  base 

had  become  weak,  the  part  under  ground  had  given  way, 
and  the  upper  part  was  in  ruins. 

That  palace  I  tore  down  completely. 
35  A  great  mass  of  building-material   I   took   out  of  the 
ground. 

The  surrounding  part  of  the  city  I  cut  off  and  added 

to  it.     The  place  of  the  old  palace  I  left. 

With  earth  from  the  river-bed  I  filled  it  up. 

The  lower  ground  I  raised  200  tipJci 
40  above  the  level.     In  a  favorable  month 

on  an  auspicious  day  I  built  on  this  foundation  according 
to  the  wisdom  of  my  heart 

a  palace  of  pilu  stone  and  cedar-wood,  in  the  style 

of  the  Hittites,  and  a  great  palace  in  the  Assyrian  style, 

which  far  exceeded  the  former  in  adaptation, 
45  size,  and  artistic  excellence,  through  the  work  of  the 

wise  builders  of  my  royal  rule. 

Great  cedar-beams  from  Khamanu,^^ 

a  snow-capped  mountain,  I  brought  hither. 

The  doors  of  liari  wood  I  surrounded  with  a  cover 
50  of  gleaming  bronze,  and  I  put  in  the  doors. 

With  white  pilu  stones,  which  were  found  in  the 

19  Mount  Amanus. 


412  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

environs  of  Buladai,  I  made  great  bull  colossi 

and  placed  them  by  the  doors  on  the  left  and 

right.     For  the  equipment  of  the  black-headed  men,  for 
the  receiving 
55  of  horses,  mules,  calves,  asses, 

chariots,  bow-strings,  quivers, 

bows  and  arrows,  every  sort  of  tool  for  war, 

the  harness  for  horses  and  mules, 

which  have  great  power  when  yoked, 
60  I  made  rooms  and  greatly  enlarged  them. 

I  built  that  palace  from  foundation  to  roof 

and  finished  it.     My  inscription 

I  brought  into  it.     For  future  days, 

whoever  —  among  the  kings,  my  successors,  whom  Ashur 
and  Ishtar 
65  shall  call  to  rule  over  the  land  and  people  — 

the  prince  may  be,  if  this  palace 

becomes  old  and  ruined,  who  builds  it  anew 

may  he  preserve  my  inscription, 

anoint  it  with  oil,  offer  sacrifices,  return  it  to  its  place ; 
YO  then  will  Ashur  and  Ishtar  hear  his  prayer. 

Whoever  alters  my  writing  and  name 

him  may  Ashur,  the  great  lord,  the  father  of  gods,  afflict 
like  an  enemy 

and  take  scepter  and  throne  from  him  and  destroy  his  rule. 

Dated  the  month  Adar  of  the  archonate  of  Bel-imurani, 
75  prefect  of  Carchemish. 


THE  GREAT  AGE  OF  ASSYRIA 

(889-626  B.C.) 


PRAYERS  AND  MAGIC  INCANTATIONS 


Let  health  of  body  and  joy  of  heart  he  my  daily  portion." 

—  ASSYRIAN   PRAYER 


PRAYERS  AND  MAGIC  INCANTATIONS 

(INTRODUCTION) 

THE  religion  of  the  Assyrians  seems  to  have  been  a  mat- 
ter of  formulas  and  ceremonials,  without  much  active 
thought.  Perhaps  with  such  savage  monarchs,  and  so  war- 
like a  nation,  this  was  inevitable.  There  was  only  one  among 
all  the  kings  of  Assyria's  period  of  power  who  turned  wholly 
from  war  to  fill  his  days  with  the  life  of  thought.  This  was 
Ashur-banipal,  of  whose  great  library  and  of  whose  eager 
searching  into  ancient  knowledge  we  have  already  spoken. 
And  it  is  noteworthy  that,  immediately  after  Ashur-banipal's 
reign,  came  the  Assyrian  downfall.  The  wild,  surrounding 
tribes,  whom  his  ancestors  had  kept  sternly  underfoot,  had, 
during  his  reign,  become  so  strong  that  they  were  able  to  turn 
upon  his  successors  and  destroy  them.  Possibly  this  would 
have  happened  no  matter  what  Ashur-banipal  had  been,  but 
the  fact  remains  that  the  gathering  of  his  great  library  marked 
the  ending  of  his  nation.  In  a  way  it  thus  seems  strangely 
providential  that  all  the  old  Babylonian  literature  was  thus 
garnered  and  preserved  for  our  own  day  at  the  very  last 
moment  when  it  could  still  be  saved. 

That  Ashur-banipal  was  a  religious  as  well  as  a  learned 
ruler  we  know  from  the  large  number  of  prayers  found  among 
his  texts.  The  prayers  given  in  this  section  are  all  from  the 
Assyrian  tongue ;  though  some  of  them,  we  know,  had  Baby- 
lonian originals,  and  possibly  all  of  them  are  founded  on 
Babylonian  thought.  Even  Ashur-banipal,  the  most  intel- 
lectual of  the  Assyrians,  was  only  a  collector,  not  a  creator  of 
learning.  He  brought  into  much  prominence  a  god  of  whom 
earlier  ages  had  little  to  say,  Nabu,  the  god  of  wisdom.  But 
Nabu  was  even  more  definitely  the  god  of  the  actual  handi- 
craft of  writing;  and  it  is  in  this  light,  rather  than  that  of 

415 


416  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

any  broader  wisdom,  that  he  was  the  true  god  of  King  Ashur- 
banipal. 

Hence  these  Assyrian  prayers  are  of  a  somewhat  self-seek- 
ing shallowness;  and  it  is  only  when  they  turn  to  magic,  to 
incantations,  that  they  become  vigorously  in  earnest.  Magic 
seems,  indeed,  the  stronghold  of  Assyrian  religious  faith. 
Whatever  of  a  higher  spirit  the  Babylonians  had  evolved 
seems  now  to  have  sunk  into  formalism.  Most  of  our  prayers 
in  this  section  are  really  magic  formulas.  They  belong  to  a 
large,  loosely  connected  group,  called  by  the  Assyrians  "  The 
Lifting  of  the  Hand,"  a  title  which  referred  less  to  the  up- 
raising of  the  hand  in  prayer  than  to  removing  of  some  god's 
heavy  hand  of  calamity,  which  weighed  upon  its  victim. 
Hence  directions  accompanying  many  of  the  prayers,  telling 
what  sacrifices  are  to  be  offered,  what  rites,  both  of  purifica- 
tion and  of  magic,  are  to  be  performed,  so  as  to  compel  the 
"  lifting  of  the  hand,"  whether  its  clutch  be  that  of  god  or 
demon. 


PRAYERS  AND  MAGIC  INCANTATIONS 


A  PRAYER  TO  MARDUK 

O  mighty,  powerful,  strong  one  of  Asliur ! 

O  noble,  exalted,  first-born  of  Ea ! 

O  Marduk,  the  mighty,  who  causeth  Itura  to  rejoice ! 

Lord  of  Isagila,  help  of  Babylon,  lover  of  Izida ! 
5  Preserver  of  life,  prince  of  I-mah-til-la,  renewer  of  life! 

Shadow  of  the  land,  protector  of  distant  peoples ! 

Forever  the  sovereign  of  shrines ! 

Forever  is  thy  name  good  in  the  mouth  of  the  peoples ! 

O  Marduk,  mighty  lord,   .  .  ., 
10  At  thy  exalted  command  let  me  live,  let  me  be  perfect  and 
let  me  behold  thy  divinity ! 

When  I  plan,  let  me  attain  my  purpose ! 

Cause  righteousness  to  dwell  in  my  mouth ! 

.  .  .  mercy  in  my  heart ! 
15  Return  and  be  established!     May  they  command  mercy! 

May  my  god  stand  at  my  right  hand ! 

May  my  goddess  stand  at  my  left  hand ! 

May  my  god,  who  is  favorable,  stand  firmly  at  my  side, 

To  give  utterance,  to  command,  to  barken  and  show  favor ! 
20  Let  the  word  I  speak,  when  I  speak,  be  propitious ! 

O  Marduk,  mighty  lord,  command  life ! 

The  life  of  my  life  do  thou  command ! 

Before  thee  brightly  have  I  bowed  myself,  let  me  be  satis- 
fied! 

May  Bel  be  thy  light,  may  Ea  shout  with  joy  unto  thee ! 
25  May  the  gods  of  the  world  be  favorable  to  thee ! 

May  the  great  gods  delight  thy  heart ! 


VOL.  I.— 27.  417 


418  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


PRAYER  TO  ISHTAR i 

.  .  .  good  is  thy  supplication  when  the  spirit  of  thy  name 

is  propitious ! 
Thy  regard  is  prosperity,  thy  command  is  light ! 
Have  mercy  on  me,  O  Ishtar !     Command  abundance ! 
Truly  pity  me  and  take  away  my  sighing ! 


Thy  .  .  .  have  I  held :  let  me  bring  joy  of  heart ! 

I  have  borne  thy  yoke :  do  thou  give  consolation  ! 

I  have  .  .  .  thy  head :  let  me  enjoy  success  and  favor ! 

I  have  protected  thy  splendor:  let  there  be  good  fortune 
and  prosperity ! 
10  I  have  sought  thy  light :  let  my  brightness  shine ! 

I  have  turned  toward  thy  power:  let  there  be  life  and 
peace ! 

Propitious  be  the  favorable  sidu  who  is  before  thee :  may 
the  lamassu  that  goeth  behind  thee  be  propitious ! 

That  which  is  on  thy  right  hand  increase  good  fortune: 
that  which  is  on  thy  left  hand  attain  favor ! 

Speak  and  let  the  word  be  heard ! 
15  Let  the  word  I  speak,  when  I  speak,  be  propitious ! 

Let  health  of  body  and  joy  of  heart  be  my  daily  portion ! 

My  days  prolong,  life  bestow :  let  me  live,  let  me  be  per- 
fect, let  me  behold  thy  divinity ! 

When  I  plan,  let  me  attain  my  purpose :     Heaven  be  thy 
joy,  may  the  Abyss  hail  thee ! 

1  The  lines  are  addressed  to  the  goddess  Ishtar,  and  only  the  begin- 
ning is  missing,  in  which  the  goddess  is  addressed  by  name.  Lines  6  to 
11  are  regularly  divided,  the  first  half  of  each  stating  some  attention 
or  observance  on  the  part  of  the  suppliant  toward  his  goddess,  which 
balances  and  justifies  the  petitions  contained  in  the  second  half  of  the 
line.  The  coJossi  whose  favor  is  invoked  in  lines  12  and  13  evidently 
surround  the  goddess  on  all  sides  and  possibly  flanked  the  entrances  to 
her  shrine.  Then  follow  various  petitions  couched  in  general  terms  for 
prosperity,  life,  and  length  of  days,  and  the  prayer  concludes  with  a 
formula  of  benediction. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  419 


A  PRAYER  TO  OTNIB 

(GOD  OF  BATTLE) 

O  mighty  son,  first  born  of  Bel ! 

Powerful,  perfect,  offspring  of  Esara, 

Who  art  clothed  with  terror,  who  art  full  of  fury ! 

O  Utgallu,  whose  onslaught  is  unopposed! 

Mighty  is  thy  place  among  the  great  gods ! 

In  Ekur,  the  house  of  decisions,  exalted  are  thy  heads, 

And  Bel  thy  father  has  granted  thee 

That  the  law  of  all  the  gods  thy  hand  should  hold ! 

Thou  judgest  the  judgment  of  mankind ! 

Thou  leadest  him  that  is  without  a  leader,  the  man  that  is  in 

need! 
Thou  holdest  the  hand  of  the  weak,  thou  exaltest  him  that  is 

not  strong ! 
The  body  of  the  man  that  to  the  lower  world  has  been  brought 

down,  thou  dost  restore ! 
From  him  who  sin  possesses,  the  sin  thou  dost  remove ! 
Thou  art  quick  to  favor  the  man  with  whom  his  god  is  angry ! 

0  Ninib,  prince  of  the  gods,  a  hero  art  thou  ! 

1  [so  and  so,  son  of  so  and  so,]  whose  god  is  [so  and  so,] 

whose  goddess  is  [so  and  so,] 
Have  bound  for  thee  a  cord,  .  .  .  have  I  offered  thee ; 
I  have  offered  thee  tarrinnu,  a  pleasant  odor ; 
I  have  poured  out  for  thee  mead,  a  drink  from  corn. 
With  thee  may  there  stand  the  gods  of  Bel ! 
With  thee  may  there  stand  the  gods  of  Ekur ! 
Truly  pity  me  and  barken  to  my  cries ! 
My  sighing  remove  and  accept  my  supplication ! 
Let  my  cry  find  acceptance  before  thee ! 
Deal  favorably  with  me  who  fear  thee ! 
Thy  face  have  I  beheld,  let  me  have  prosperity ! 
Thou  art  pitiful !     Truly  pity  me ! 
Take  away  my  sin,  my  iniquity  remove ! 


420  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


A  KING'S  PRAYER  TO  THE  MOON-GOD 

O  Sin !     O  Nannar !  mighty  one  .  .  . 
O  Sin,  who  art  unique,  thou  that  brightenest  .  .  . 
That  givest  light  unto  the  nations  .  .  . 
That  unto  the  black-headed  race  art  favorable  .  .  . 
5  Bright  is  thy  light,  in  heaven  ... 

Brilliant  is  thy  torch,  like  the  Fire-god  .  .  . 
Thy  brightness  fills  the  broad  earth ! 
The  brightness  of  the  nation  he  gathers,  in  thy  sight  .  .  . 
0  Anu  of  the  sky,  whose  purpose  no  man  learns ! 
10  Overwhelming  is  thy  light  like  the  Sun-god,  thy  first-born ! 
Before  thy  face  the  great  gods  bow  down,  the  fate  of  the 

world  is  set  before  thee ! 
In  the  evil  of  an  eclipse  of  the  Moon  which,  in  such  and 

such  a  month  on  such  and  such  a  day,  has  taken  place, 
In  the  evil  of  the  powers,  of  the  portents,  evil  and  not 

good,  which  are  in  my  palace  and  my  land, 
The  great  gods  beseech  thee  and  thou  givest  counsel ! 
15  They  take  their  stand,  all  of  them,  they  petition  at  thy 

feet! 
O  Sin,  glorious  one  of  Ekur !  they  beseech  thee  and  thou 

givest  the  oracle  of  the  gods ! 
The  end  of  the  month  is  the  day  of  thy  oracle,  the  decision 

of  the  great  gods ; 
The  thirtieth  day  is  thy  festival,  a  day  of  prayer  to  thy 

divinity ! 

0  God  of  the  New  Moon,  in  might  unrivaled,  whose  pur- 

pose no  man  learns, 
20  I  have  poured  thee  a  libation  of  the  night  with  wailing,  I 
have  offered  thee  with  shouts  of  joy  a  drink-offering 
of  .  .  . 

1  am  bowed  down !     I  have  taken  my  stand !     I  have 

sought  for  thee ! 
Do  thou  set  favor  and  righteousness  upon  me ! 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  421 


TO  THE  STAR  REGULUS » 

O  Sibziana  .  .  . 

Thou  that  changest  the  ... 

In  the  heavens  .  .  . 

They  bow  down  before  thee  .  .  . 
5  The  great  gods  beseech  thee  and  .  .  . 

Without  thee  Anu  .  .  . 

Bel  the  arbiter  .  .  . 

Ishkar  the  prince  of  heaven  and  earth  .  .  . 

At  thy  command  mankind  was  named ! 
10  Give  thou  the  word  and  with  thee  let  the  great  gods  stand ! 

Give  thou  my  judgment,  make  my  decision ! 

I,  thy  servant,  Ashur-banipal,  the  son  of  his  god. 

Whose  god  is  Ashur,  whose  goddess  is  Ashuritu, 

In  the  evil  of  the  eclipse  of  the  moon  which  in  the  month 
on  the  day  has  taken  place, 
15  In  the  evil  of  the  powers,  of  the  portents,  evil  and  not 
good. 

Which  are  in  my  palace  and  my  land, 

Because  of  the  evil  magic,  the  disease  that  is  not  good,  the 
iniquity. 

The  transgression,  the  sin  that  is  in  my  body  .  .  ., 

Because  of  the  evil  specter  that  is  bound  to  me  and  .  .  ., 
20  Have  petitioned  thee,  I  have  glorified  thee ! 

The  raising  of  my  hand  accept !     Harken  to  my  prayer ! 

Free  me  from  my  bewitchment !     Loosen  my  sin ! 

Let  there  be  torn  away  whatsoever  evil  may  come  to  cut  off 
my  life ! 

May  the  favorable  sidu  be  ever  at  my  head ! 
25  May  the  god,  the  goddess  of  mankind  grant  me  favor ! 

At  thy  command  let  me  live ! 

Let  me  bow  down  and  extol  thy  greatness ! 

3  The  prayer  is  inscribed  to  the  star  Sibziana  or  Regulus,  addressed 
as  a  male  deity,  and  invoked  in  lines  1  to  9  in  somewhat  extravagant 
terms.  The  object  of  the  prayer  is  to  induce  Sibziana  to  remove  the 
evil  spells,  bewitchments,  possession  by  specters,  etc.,  that  have  followed 
in  the  train  of  the  lunar  eclipse. 


422  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


AN  INCANTATION  TO  ISHTAR  ^ 

I  pray  unto  thee,  lady  of  ladies,  goddess  of  goddesses !  ^ 
O  Ishtar,  queen  of  all  peoples,  directress  of  mankind ! 
O  Irnini,  thou  art  raised  on  high,  mistress  of  the  Spirits 

of  heaven ; 
Thou  art  mighty,  thou  hast  sovereign  power,  exalted  is 

thy  name ! 
5  Thou  art  the  light  of  heaven  and  earth,  O  valiant  daugh- 
ter of  the  Moon-god. 
Euler  of  weapons,  arbitress  of  the  battle! 
Framer  of  all  decrees,  wearer  of  the  crown  of  dominion ! 
O  lady,  majestic  is  thy  rank,  over  all  the  gods  is  it 

exalted ! 
Thou  art  the  cause  of  lamentation,  thou  sowest  hostility 

among  brethren  who  are  at  peace ; 
10  Thou  art  the  bestower  of  strength  ! 

Thou  art  strong,  O  lady  of  victory,  thou  canst  violently 

attain  my  desire! 
O  Gutira,  who  art  girt  with  battle,  who  art  clothed  with 

terror. 
Thou  wieldest  the  scepter  and  the  decision,  the  control  of 

earth  and  heaven  1 

4  Ishtar,  to  whom  the  prayer  is  oflfered  (line  106),  is  in  this  line  and 
in  line  105  addressed  by  the  title  Irnini;  in  line  12  she  is  addressed  as 
Gutira.  It  is  well  knowTi  that  in  course  of  time  Ishtar  was  identified 
by  the  Babylonians  and  Assyrians  with  other  goddesses,  e.g.,  Ninni, 
Nana,  Anunitum,  and  Belit;  and  when  so  identified  she  absorbed  their 
names,  titles,  and  attributes.  In  these  passages  we  have  two  additional 
instances  of  her  identification  with  other  deities. 

5  The  text  is  addressed  to  Ishtar  in  her  character  as  the  goddess  of 
battle.  Lines  1-41  contain  addresses  to  the  goddess,  descriptive  of  her 
power  and  splendor,  and  at  line  42  the  suppliant  begins  to  make  his 
own  personal  petitions,  describing  his  state  of  affliction  and  praying  for 
deliverance.  A  rubric  occurs  at  the  end  of  the  text  (lines  beginning 
107),  giving  directions  for  the  performance  of  certain  ceremonies  and 
for  the  due  recital  of  the  prayer. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  423 

Holy  chambers,  shrines,  divine  dwellings,  and  temples 
worship  thee ! 
15  Where  is  thy  name  not  heard  ?     Where  is  thy  decree  not 
obeyed  ? 

Where  are  thine  images  not  made  'I  Where  are  thy  tem- 
ples not  founded  ? 

Where  art  thou  not  great  ?     Where  art  thou  not  exalted  ? 

Anu,  Bel,  and  Ea  have  raised  thee  on  high ;  among  the 
gods  have  they  made  great  thy  dominion ; 

They  have  exalted  thee  among  all  the  Spirits  of  heaven, 
they  have  made  thy  rank  pre-eminent. 
20  At  the  thought  of  thy  name  the  heaven  and  the  earth 
quake, 

The  gods  tremble,  the  Spirits  of  the  earth  falter. 

Mankind  payeth  homage  unto  thy  mighty  name, 

For  thou  art  great,  and  thou  art  exalted. 

All  mankind,**  the  whole  human  race,  boweth  down  be- 
fore thy  power. 
25  Thou  judgest  the  cause  of  men  with  justice  and  right- 
eousness ; 

Thou  lookest  with  mercy  on  the  violent  man,  and  thou 
settest  right  the  unruly  every  morning. 

How  long  wilt  thou  tarry,  O  lady  of  heaven  and  earth, 
shepherdess  of  those  that  dwell  in  human  habita- 
tions ? 

How  long  wilt  thou  tarry,  O  lady  of  the  holy  E-anna,^ 
the  pure  Storehouse  ? 

How  long  wilt  thou  tarry,  O  lady,  whose  feet  are  un- 
wearied, whose  knees  have  not  lost  their  vigor  ? 
30  How  long  wilt  thou  tarry,  O  lady  of  all  fights  and  of  the 
battle  ? 

O  thou  glorious  one,  that  ragest  among  the  Spirits  of 
heaven,  that  subduest  angry  gods. 

That  hast  power  over  all  princes,  that  controllest  the 
scepter  of  kings, 

That  openest  the  bonds  of  all  handmaids, 

6  Literally,  "the  black-headed";   i.e.,  mankind. 

7  I.e.,  the  temple  of  Ishtar  in  the  city  of  Uruk. 


424.  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

That  art  raised  on  high,  that  art  firmly  established  —  0 

valiant  Ishtar,  great  is  thy  might ! 
35  Bright  torch  of  heaven  and  earth,  light  of  all  dwellings, 
Terrible  in  the  fight,  one  who  can  not  be  opposed,  strong 

in  the  battle ! 
O  whirlwind,  that  roarest  against  the  foe  and  cuttest  off 

the  mighty ! 
O  furious  Ishtar,  summoner  of  armies ! 
O  goddess  of  men,  O  goddess  of  women,  thou  whose  coun- 
sel none  may  learn ! 
40  Where  thou  lookest  in  pity,  the  dead  man  lives  again,  the 

sick  is  healed ; 
The  afflicted  is  saved  from  his  affliction,  when  he  behold- 

eth  thy  face ! 
I,  thy  servant,  sorrowful,  sighing,  and  in  distress  cry 

unto  thee, 
Look  upon  me,  O  my  lady,  and  accept  my  supplication. 
Truly  pity  me,  and  harken  unto  my  prayer ! 
45  Cry  unto  me  "  It  is  enough !  "  and  let  thy  spirit  be 

appeased ! 
How  long  shall  my  body  lament,  which  is  full  of  restless- 
ness and  confusion? 
How  long  shall  my  heart  be  afflicted,  which  is  full  of 

sorrow  and  sighing  ? 
How  long  shall  my  omens  be  grievous  in  restlessness  and 

confusion  ? 
How  long  shall  my  house  be  troubled,  which  mourneth 

bitterly  ? 
50  How  long  shall  my  spirit  be  troubled,  which  aboundeth 

in  sorrow  and  sighing? 
O  .  .  .  Irnini,  fierce  lioness,  may  thy  heart  have  rest! 
Is  anger  mercy  ?     Then  let  thy  spirit  be  appeased ! 
May  thine  eyes  rest  with  favor  upon  me ; 
With  thy  glorious  regard,  truly  in  mercy  look  upon  me ! 
55  Put  an  end  to  the  evil  bewitchments  of  my  body ;  let  me 

behold  thy  clear  light ! 
How  long,  O  my  lady,  shall  mine  enemies  persecute  me  ? 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  425 

How  long  shall  they  devise  evil  in  rebellion  and  wicked- 
ness, 

And  in  my  pursuits  and  my  pleasures  shall  they  rage 
against  me  ? 

How  long,  O  my  lady,  shall  the  ravenous  demon  pursue 
me? 
60  They  have  caused  me  continuous  affliction,  but  I  have 
praised  thee. 

The  weak  have  become  strong,  but  I  am  weak ; 

I  am  sated  like  a  flood  which  the  evil  wind  maketh  to 
rage. 

My  heart  hath  taken  wing,  and  hath  flown  away  like  a 
bird  of  the  heavens; 

I  moan  like  a  dove,  night  and  day. 
65  I  am  made  desolate,  and  I  weep  bitterly ; 

With  grief  and  woe  my  spirit  is  distressed. 

What  have  I  done,  O  my  god  and  my  goddess  ? 

Is  it  because  I  feared  not  my  god  or  my  goddess  that 
trouble  hath  befallen  me  ? 

Sickness,  disease,  ruin,  and  destruction  are  come  upon 
me; 
70  Troubles,  turning  away  of  the  countenance,  and  fulness 
of  anger  are  my  lot, 

And  the  indignation  and  the  wrath  of  all  gods  and  men. 

I  have  beheld,  O  my  lady,  days  of  affliction,  months  of 
sorrow,  years  of  misfortune ; 

I  have  beheld,  O  my  lady,  slaughter,  turmoil,  and  rebel- 
lion. 

Death  and  misery  have  made  an  end  of  me ! 
75  My  need  is  grievous,  grievous  is  my  humiliation ; 

Over  my  house,  my  gate,  and  my  fields  is  affliction 
poured  forth. 

As  for  my  god,  his  face  is  turned  elsewhere ; 

My  strength  is  brought  to  naught,  my  power  is  broken ! 

But  unto  thee,  O  my  lady,  do  I  give  heed,  I  have  kept 
thee  in  my  mind ; 
80  Unto  thee  therefore  do  I  pray,  dissolve  my  ban ! 


426  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Dissolve  my  sin,  my  iniquity,  my  transgression,  and  my 

offense ! 
Forgive  my  transgression,  accept  my  supplication ! 
Secure  my  deliverance,  and  let  me  be  loved  and  carefully 

tended ! 
Guide  my  footsteps  in  the  light,  that  among  men  I  may 

gloriously  seek  my  way ! 
85  Say  the  word,  that  at  thy  command  my  angry  god  may 

have  mercy, 
And  that  my  goddess,  who  is  wroth,  may  turn  again ! 
The  darkness  hath  settled  dovTu,  so  let  my  brazier  be 

bright ; 
Thou  art  the  ruler,  let  then  my  torch  flame  forth ! 
May  my  scattered  strength  be  collected ; 
90  May  the  fold  be  wide,  and  may  my  pen  be  bolted  fast! 
Eeceive  the  abasement  of  my  countenance,  give  ear  unto 

my  prayer. 
Truly  pity  me,  and  accept  my  supplication ! 
How  long,  O  my  lady,  wilt  thou  be  angry  and  thy  face 

be  turned  away  ? 
How  long,  O  my  lady,  wilt  thou  rage  and  thy  spirit  be 

full  of  wrath  ? 
95  Incline  thy  neck,  which  is  turned  away  from  my  affairs, 

and  set  prosperity  before  thy  face ; 
As  by  the  solving  waters  of  the  river  may  thine  anger  be 

dissolved ! 
My  mighty  foes  may  I  trample  like  the  ground ; 
And  those  who  are  wroth  with  me  mayest  thou  force  into 

submission  and  crush  beneath  my  feet ! 
Let  my  prayer  and  my  supplication  come  unto  thee, 
100  And  let  thy  great  mercy  be  upon  me, 

That  those  who  behold  me  in  the  street  may  magnify  thy 

name, 
And  that  I  may  glorify  thy  godhead  and  thy  might 

before  mankind ! 
Ishtar  is  exalted  !     Ishtar  is  queen  ! 
My  lady  is  exalted !     My  lady  is  queen ! 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  427 

105  Iriiini,  the  valiant  daughter  of  the  Moon-god,  hath  not  a 
rival ! 

PBAYKR    OF    THE    RAISING    OF    THE    HAND    TO    ISHTAR  ^ 

This  shalt  thou  do  .  .  .  a  green  bough  shalt  thou  sprin- 
kle with  pure  water ;  four  bricks  from  a  ruin  ^  shalt 
thou  set  in  place ; 

a  lamb  shalt  thou  take;  with  sarhatu-wood  shalt  thou 
fill  the  censer,  and  thou  shalt  set  fire  thereto ;  sweet- 
scented  woods,  some  upuntu-^lsmt  and  some  cypress- 
wood 

shalt  thou  heap  up ;  a  drink-offering  shalt  thou  offer,  but 
thou  shalt  not  bow  thyself  down.     This  incantation 
before  the  goddess  Ishtar 
110  three  times  shalt  thou  recite,  .  .  .  and  thou  shalt  not 
look  behind  thee. 

"  O  exalted  Ishtar,  that  givest  light  unto  the  four  quar- 
ters of  the  world !  "  i*^ 

This  copy  from  Borsippa,  made  like  unto  its  original, 
hath  Nergal-balatsu-ikbi,  the  son  of  Atarad-kalme, 
the  magician, 

written  for  the  preservation  of  his  life,  and  he  hath 
revised  it,  and  hath  deposited  it  within  the  temple 
of  E-sagila. 

8  This  line  gives  the  title  of  the  prayer ;  then  follows  a  rubric  of  four 
lines  giving  directions  for  the  performance  of  certain  ceremonies  and 
for  the  due  recital  of  the  prayer. 

9  In  the  four  bricks,  which,  if  the  suggested  rendering  is  correct, 
are  here  directed  to  be  brought  from  a  ruin,  we  may  perhaps  see  a 
symbolical  offering  to  Ishtar  in  her  character  of  the  goddess  of  battle 
and  destruction. 

10  This  line  gives  the  catch-line  for  the  next  tablet. 


4a8  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


AN  INCANTATION  IN  SICKNESS" 

(TO  MAKDUK) 

O  Marduk,  lord  of  lands,  the  mighty  .  .  . 

Powerful,  unique,  perfect  .  .  . 

The  exalted  hero,  who  suffers  no  change  .  .  . 
20  The  strong  one,  the  king  who  .  .  . 

O  Marduk  the  illustrious,  the  great  one  who  .  .  . 

The  mighty  ...  the  illustrious ! 

The  storm  of  the  weapons,  the  battle  .  .  . 

O  .  ,  . !  the  perfect  .  .  . ! 
25  .  .  .  the  great  .  .  . ! 

.  .  .  Marduk,  the  lord  .  .  . 

O  Marduk,  the  lord  .  .  . 

O  Marduk,  the  lord  ... 

11  The  first  line  of  the  tablet  forms  a  sort  of  heading  or  introduction, 
and,  while  stating  the  occasion  of  the  prayer,  contains  a  general  direc- 
tion to  the  eflfect  that  when  the  sickness  has  fallen  on  the  man  nothing 
evil  or  inauspicious  is  to  be  allowed  to  approach  him.  Then  follows  the 
first  section  on  the  tablet  containing  14  lines  of  directions  for  cere- 
monies, which  commence  as  follows :  "  Perform  the  following.  In  the 
night  sprinkle  a  green  bough  with  pure  water.  Before  Marduk  the 
.  .  .  drink-offering  shalt  thou  set.  Dates  and  .  .  .  shalt  thou  heap  up. 
A  sa  of  oil,  a  drink-offering,  water,  honey,  and  butter  shalt  thou  offer; 
thou  shalt  set  there  an  incense-burner,  corn  .  .  .  shalt  thou  heap  up ;  a 
sa-na  of  incanse  shalt  thou  offer.  The  .  .  .  -drink  shalt  thou  pour  out." 
The  rites  in  the  next  line  and  a  half  are  obscure;  at  line  7  offerings  of 
flesh  are  prescribed,  three  preparations  of  flesh  being  specified.  In  line 
8  the  command  is  given  to  take  the  oil  of  certain  woods,  and  the  next 
two  lines  contain  a  list  of  substances  that  are  to  be  cast  into  the  oil, 
including  gold,  fragments  of  various  kinds  of  wood  and  plants,  and  in- 
cense. Beginning  with  line  11  certain  offerings  are  specified  in  honor 
of  the  An-hul-mish,  the  offerings  consisting  of  one  piece  of  alabaster, 
one  piece  of  gold,  one  piece  of  lapis  lazuli,  and  one  seal.  In  the  prin- 
cipal prayer  of  the  tablet  reference  is  made  to  each  of  these  four  offer- 
ings (lines  69-73),  and,  as  the  prayer  is  addressed  throughout  to  Mar- 
duk, it  is  obvious  that  An-hul-mish  is  merely  a  title  of  the  god  Marduk. 
The  ceremonies  conclude  with  an  injunction  to  the  officiating  priest  to 
hold  the  hand  of  the  sick  man  and  recite  the  incantation.  The  in- 
cantation then  begins  with  line  17. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  429 

Lord  of  the  heavens,  of  mountains  and  of  oceans,  who 

.  .  .  the  hills! 
Lord  of  .  .  .  and  fortresses,  who  guideth  the  rivers ! 
30  Who  bestoweth  com  and  grain,  who  createth  wheat  and 

barley,  who  reneweth  the  green  herb ! 
Who  createth  the  handiwork  of  god  and  goddess;  in  the 

midst  of  their  ...  art  thou ! 
The  ruler  of  the  Anunnaki,  the  director  of  the  Igigi ! 
The  wise,  the  first-born  of  Ea,  the  creator  of  the  whole  of 

mankind ! 
Thou  art  lord,  and  like  my  father  and  my  mother  among 

the  ...  art  thou ! 
35  Thou  art  like  the  Sun-god  also :  their  darkness  thou  dost 

lighten ! 
A  cry  and  a  shout  of  joy  .  .  . 
Thou  guidest  him  that  is  in  need  .  .  . 
Their  wisdom  .  .  . 
Lands  and  distant  peoples  .  .  . 
40  Thou  art  compassionate  .  .  . 
...  I  am  weak  .  .  . 


Thou  boldest  his  hand  .  .  . 


[At  line  45  the  suppliant  makes  a  formal  statement  of  his 
own  name  along  with  that  of  his  father,  after  which  the  tablet 
continues  broken  for  several  lines,  only  disconnected  words 
having  been  preserved.  When  the  lines  once  more  become 
connected  we  find  the  suppliant  imploring  that  the  life  of  his 
body  may  be  restored,  the  disease  from  which  he  is  suffering 
being  put  down  to  the  influence  of  magic.  He  concludes  a 
description  of  his  symptoms  with  the  words :  "^  My  powers 
and  my  soul  are  bewitched  and  there  is  no  righteous  de- 
cision !  "  He  therefore  makes  a  direct  appeal  to  the  god  in 
the  following  words:] 

O  lord,  at  this  time  stand  beside  me  and  barken  to  my 
cries,  give  judgment,  make  my  decision ! 


430  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

60  The  sickness  ...  do  thou  destroy,  and  take  thou  away 
the  disease  of  my  body ! 

O  my  god  and  goddess,  judge  ye  mankind,  and  possess  me ! 

By  the  command  of  thy  mouth  may  there  never  approach 
anything  evil,  the  magic  of  the  sorcerer  and  of  the 
sorceress ! 

May  there  never  approach  me  the  poisons  of  the  evil  .  .  . 
of  men ! 

May  there  never  approach  the  evil  of  dreams,  of  powers 
and  portents  of  heaven  and  of  earth ! 
65  Never  may  the  evil  of  the  portent  of  city  and  land  over- 
take me ! 

In  spite  of  the  evil  mouth,  the  evil  tongue  of  men,  in  thy 
sight  let  me  be  perfect ! 

Let  nothing  evil  ever  restrain  the  plant  of  the  god  of  joy 
that  is  placed  upon  my  neck ! 

The  evil  curse,  the  mouth  that  is  unfavorable,  let  it  cast 
aside ! 

Like  alabaster  let  my  light  shine,  let  me  never  have  afflic- 
tion ! 

REVERSE    OF    TABLET 

70  Like  lapis  lazuli  may  my  life  be  precious  in  the  sight,  let 

it  establish  mercy ! 
Like  gold,  O  my  god  and  my  goddess,  may  prosperity  be 

with  me ! 
In  the  mouth  of  the  peoples  may  I  be  blessed ! 
Like  a  seal  may  my  sins  be  torn  away ! 
May  the  evil  curse,  that  is  unfavorable,  never  draw  nigh, 

may  it  never  be  oppressive ! 
75  Before  thee  may  my  name  and  posterity  prosper ! 

May  the  plants  and  .  .  .  that  are  set  before  thee  loosen 

my  sin ! 
K"ever  may  there  approach  me  the  wrath  or  anger  of  the 

god, 
With  miser\\  disgrace  and  sin ;  from  the  curse 
May  the  raising  of  my  hand,  the  invocation  of  the  great 

gods,  give  release! 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  431 

80  At  thy  mighty  command  let  me  approach !     Command 

thou  life ! 
Like  heaven  may  I  shine  among  the  enchantments  that 

possess  me ! 
Like  the  earth  may  I  be  bright  in  the  midst  of  spells  that 

are  not  good ! 
Like  the  heart  of  heaven  may  I  be  bright ;  may  the  power 

of  my  sins  be  destroyed ! 
May  the  6mw-wood  purify  me,  may  the  .  .  .  -plant  de- 
liver me,  may  the  ukuru-wood  remove  my  sin ! 
85  May  Marduk's  vessel  of  purification  bestow  favor ! 

May  the  flaming  censer  of  the  god  .  .  .  make  me  bright ! 
At  the  command  of  la,  king  of  the  Abyss,  father  of  the 

gods,  the  lord  of  wisdom. 
At  the  raising  of  my  hand  may  thy  heart  have  rest,  O 

Marduk,  the  priest  of  the  great  gods,  the  arbiter  of 

the  Igigi ! 
The  word  of  Ea  let  me  glorify,  and,  O  queen  Damkina, 

let  me  have  dominion  ! 
90  May  I  thy  servant  [so  and  so,  the  son  of  so  and  so,]  live, 

let  me  be  perfect, 
Let  me  revere  thy  divinity,  and  let  me  bow  in  humility 

before  thee! 

O  my  god,  let  me  revere  thy  power ! 

O  my  goddess,  let  me  tell  of  thy  greatness ! 

And  may  I  the  priest,  thy  servant,  bow  in  humility  before 
thee!  12 

12  On  the  conclusion  of  the  prayer  there  follow  three  short  sections  of 
ceremonies,  an  incantation  of  ten  lines,  and  a  final  section  of  ceremonial 
directions.  After  the  first  of  these  sections  the  sick  man  himself  ceases 
to  take  part  in  the  ritual,  for  the  section  concludes  with  the  injunction 
that  he  shall  go  straight  to  his  house  without  looking  behind  him.  The 
remainder  of  the  tablet  deals  with  the  due  disposal  of  some  of  the  of- 
ferings and  objects  that  have  been  used  in  the  ceremonies  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  obverse  and  in  the  course  of  the  incantation. 


432  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


A  PRAYER  TO  NABU  IN  SICKNESS 

(GOD  OF  WEITING  AND  OF  WISDOM) 

0  hero,  prince,  first-born  of  Maxduk ! 

O  prudent  ruler,  offspring  of  Zarpanitu ! 

O  Nabu,  bearer  of  the  tablet  of  the  destiny  of  the  gods, 

director  of  Esagila ! 
Lord  of  Ezida,  shadow  of  Borsippa ! 
5  Darling  of  Ea,  giver  of  life ! 

Prince  of  Babylon,  protector  of  the  living ! 

God  of  the  hill  of  dwelling,  the  fortress  of  the  nations,  the 

lord  of  temples! 
Thy  name  is  ...  in  the  mouth  of  the  peoples,  O  sidu ! 

0  son  of  the  mighty  prince  Marduk,  in  thy  mouth  is  jus- 

tice! 
10  In  thy  illustrious  name,  at  the  command  of  thy  mighty 
godhead, 

1  [so  and  so,  the  son  of  so  and  so,]  who  am  smitten  with 

disease,  thy  servant. 
Whom  the  hand  of  the  demon  and  the  breath  of  the  .  .  . 
May  I  live,  may  I  be  perfect  .  .  . 
Set  justice  in  my  mouth ! 
15  .  .  .  mercy  in  my  heart! 

Return  and  be  established !     May  they  command  mercy ! 
May  my  god  stand  at  my  right  hand ! 
May  my  goddess  stand  at  my  left  hand ! 
May  the  favorable  sidu,  the  favorable  lamassu  .  .  .  with 
me!  13 

13  On  the  conclusion  of  the  prayer  there  follows  a  section  of  four 
lines  containing  directions  for  the  making  of  certain  offerings. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  4S3 


PRAYER  IX  SICKNESS  TO  TASMITU 

(THE  CONSORT  OF  NABU) 

.  .  .  O  goddess  .  .  . 

Who    causeth    her    word    to    be    obeyed,    who    estab- 

lisheth  .  .  . ! 
Who  appeaseth  the  anger  of  God  and  .  .  . ! 
Who  heareth  prayer  and  supplication ! 
5  Who  accepteth  petition  and  sighing !  .  .  . 

[Lines  6  and  7  are  broken.] 

0  seed  of  Ezida,  the  house  of  the  living  creature  of  the 

great  gods ! 
Queen  of  Borsippa,  lady  of  the  dwelling ! 
10  O  lady  Tasmitu,  whose  command  is  mighty ! 

[The  next  few  lines  are  broken.  After  stating  (line  14) 
that  he  is  crying  before  the  goddess,  the  suppliant  describes 
her  merciful  character,  as  the  giver  of  peace  and  prosperity. 
At  line  20  he  once  more  addresses  her  by  name  and  proceeds 
to  make  his  request] 

20  O    Tasmitu,    goddess    of    supplication    and    love,    lady 
of  ... ! 

1  [so  and  so,  the  son  of  so  and  so],  whose  god  is  [so  and 

so],  whose  goddess  is  [so  and  so], 

have  turned  toward  thee,  O  lady!  Harken  to  my  suppli- 
cation ! 

Before  Nabu  thy  spouse,  the  lord,  the  prince,  the  first- 
bom  son 

Of  Esagila,  intercede  for  me ! 
25  May  he  harken  to  my  cry  at  the  word  of  thy  mouth ! 

May  he  remove  my  sighing,  may  he  learn  my  supplica- 
tion! 

VOL.  I.— 28. 


434  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

At  his  mighty  word  may  god  and  goddess  deal  graciously 

with  me ! 
May  the  sickness  of  my  body  be  torn  away ! 
May  the  groaning  of  my  flesh  be  consumed ! 
30  May  the  consumption  of  my  muscles  be  removed ! 
.  .  .  sorcery,  poison,  .  .  . 
May  the  ban  be  torn  away,  may  the  .  .  .  be  consumed 

May  .  .  . 

May  mercy  be  established  among  men  and  their  habita- 
tions ! 
35  May  god  and  king  ordain  favor 

At  thy  mighty  command  that  is  not  altered,  and  thy  true 
mercy, 

O  lady  Tasmitu.i* 

14  Of  the  two  ceremonial  sections  a  few  phrases  only  have  been  pre 
served.     The  first  prescribes  that  the  sprinkling  of  pure  water  and  the 
offering  of  incense  of  harru-wood  shall  accompany  the  recital  of  the  in- 
cantation, wliile  the  second  apparently  deals,  among  other  matters,  with 
the  rite  of  the  knotted  cord. 


THE  NEO-BABYLONIAN  AGE 

(625-539  B.C.) 


NEBUCHADREZZAR  AND  BELSHAZZAR 


"  75  not  this  great  Babylon,  thai  I  have  built  for  the  house  of 
the  kingdom,  by  the  might  of  my  power  and  for  the  honor  of  my 
majesty?" 

—  DANIEL  IV.   30. 


THE  NEO-BABYLONIAN  AGE 

(INTRODUCTION) 

WHEN  Assyria  fell,  a  revolting  viceroy  of  Babylon 
joined  in  the  attack  upon  her.  As  he  had  thus  made 
friends  with  the  invading  savage  tribes,  he  was  able  to  restore 
Babylon's  independence,  and  he  and  his  successors  held  brief 
rule  over  a  new  or  ]^eo-Babylonian  kingdom.  This  Neo- 
Babylonian  era  lasted  for  only  about  eighty  years  before  it 
was  destroyed  by  the  Persians,  the  next  world-conquerors  to 
appear.  Yet  over  this  brief  kingdom  ruled  two  monarchs 
who,  because  of  their  dramatic  pictures  in  the  Bible,  are 
among  the  best  known  of  all  ancient  rulers.  These  are 
Nebuchadrezzar,  the  conqueror  and  destroyer  of  Jerusalem, 
and  Belshazzar,  in  whose  fall  the  Jews  saw  a  divine  provi- 
dence intervening  to  avenge  them. 

Of  Nebuchadrezzar's  reign  (604-561  b.c.)  we  have  several 
records,  of  which  the  most  noted  is  given  here.  And  it  is 
perhaps  worth  noting  that  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  which 
meant  so  much  to  its  inhabitants  and  —  through  them  —  to 
the  world,  meant  very  little  to  Nebuchadrezzar.  He  had 
destroyed  so  many  cities,  enslaved  so  many  peoples,  that  he 
barely  mentions  Jerusalem,  indeed  he  seems  to  feel  that  he 
had  been  particularly  lenient  with  these  rebellious  folk. 

Reverend    Doctor    Ball,    in    translating   this    inscription, 

speaks  of  it  as  follows :     "  Whether  we  suppose  that  this 

famous  relic  of  the  past  embodies  the  ipsissima  verba  of  the 

great  king,  in  whose  name  and  by  whose  orders,  at  all  events, 

it  was  written  and  graven  on  imperishable  stone ;  or  that  it  is 

the  set  panegyrical  composition  of  some  one  of  the  literary 

men  of  his  brilliant  court,  will  make  little  difference  to  the 

deep  interest  which  such  a  monument  must  always  inspire  in 

the  minds  of  thoughtful  readers  of  the  prophecies  of  Jeremiah 

and  the  picturesque  traditions  of  the  book  of  Daniel.     Here 

437 


438  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

we  have  an  unquestionable  relic  of  the  age  of  the  fall  of  the 
Jewish  monarchy  and  the  brilliant  sunset  of  Hebrew 
prophecy :  an  authentic  record,  preserved  almost  intact  in  its 
original  shape,  of  the  very  sovereign  whom  Jeremiah  declared 
to  be  Jehovah's  chosen  servant,  and  whom,  consequently,  it 
was  Judah's  duty  as  well  as  highest  political  wisdom  to  obey. 
And  not  only  this.  The  inscription  paints  for  us  in  unfading 
colors  a  portrait  of  the  man  Nebuchadrezzar;  it  exhibits  in 
the  vivid  light  of  actuality  his  pride  of  place  and  power  and 
greatness,  his  strong  conviction  of  his  own  divine  call  to  uni- 
versal empire,  his  passionate  devotion  to  his  gods,  his  untir- 
ing labors  for  their  glory  and  the  aggrandizement  of  that 
peerless  capital  which  was  their  chosen  dwelling-place.  The 
style  of  the  inscription  is  elevated  almost  to  the  level  of 
poetry ;  and  the  phraseology  often  recalls  familiar  expressions 
of  the  Old  Testament." 

Of  Belshazzar,  unlike  his  great  predecessor,  we  have  little 
clear  record.  He  seems  never  to  have  been  really  king,  but 
was  the  son  of  King  Nabonidos,  and  the  actual  ruler  in  his 
father's  name.  It  was  ISTabonidos  who  was  captured  at  the 
fall  of  Babylon  (539  B.C.),  but  it  was  Belshazzar  who,  as  his 
father's  general,  fought  all  the  hopeless  battles  against  the 
conquering  Persians.  Nabonidos,  in  one  of  the  prayers 
which  he  placed  within  the  comer-stones  of  his  builded  tem- 
ples, prays  for  his  son.  "  And  as  for  Belshazzar,  the  first- 
bom  son,  the  issue  of  my  body,  do  thou  implant  in  his  heart 
the  fear  of  thy  great  divinity.  Let  him  not  turn  unto  sin- 
ning. Let  him  be  satisfied  with  fulness  of  life."  So,  per- 
chance, Belshazzar  needed  to  be  reformed  by  prayer.  The 
section  closes  with  the  record  of  Cyrus,  the  Persian  conqueror, 
telling  how  he  overthrew  this  ancient  civilization.  With  the 
coming  of  Cyrus,  the  dominion  of  the  Semite  races  passed  and 
the  present  age,  that  of  the  dominion  of  the  Aryan  races,  be- 
gan. We  shall  turn  again  in  a  later  volume  to  trace  the 
civilization  of  Cyrus  and  his  Persians. 


THE  NEO-BABYLONIAN  AGE 


THE  INDIA  HOUSE  i  INSCRIPTION  OF 
NEBUCHADREZZAR 

COLUMN  I 

Nebuch  adrezzar 

King  of  Babylon, 

the  prince  exalted, 

the  favorite  of  Marduk, 
5  the  pontiff  supreme, 

the  beloved  of  Nabu, 

the  serene,  the  possessor  of  wisdom, 

who  the  way  of  their  godhead 

regardeth, 
10  who  feareth  their  lordship; 

the  servant  unwearied, 

who  for  the  maintenance 

of  Esagilla  and  Ezida  ^ 

daily  bethought  him,  and 
15  the  weal  of  Babylon 

and  Borsippa 

regardeth  ever ; 

the  wise,  the  prayerful, 

the  maintainer  of  Esagilla  and  Ezida, 
20  the  chiefest  son 

of  Nabopalassar, 

King  of  Babylon,  am  I. 

After  that  the  lord  my  god  had  created  mc, 

that  Marduk  had  framed 

1  So  called  because  it  is  preserved  in  tlie  "  India  House  "  of  the  Lrit- 
ish  {government  in  London. 

2  The  chief  temples  of  Babylon  and  Borsippa.  E-sa<?il]a.  the  trmple 
of  Bel-Marduk,  also  contained  a  shrine  dedicated  to  Nabu,  called 
"  Ezida  of  E-sagilla." 

439 


440  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

25  the  creature  in  the  mother; 

when  I  was  bom, 

when  I  was  created,  even  I, 

the  holy  places  of  the  god  I  regarded, 

the  way  of  the  god  I  walked  in. 
30  Of  Marduk,  the  great  lord,  the  god  my  creator, 

his  cunning  works 

highly  do  I  extol. 

Of  Nabu,  his  true  son, 

the  beloved  of  my  Majesty, 
35  the  way  of  his  supreme  godhead 

steadfastly  do  I  exalt ; 

with  all  my  true  heart 

I  love  the  fear  of  their  godhead, 

I  worship  their  lordship. 
40  When  Marduk,  the  great  lord, 

lifted  up  the  head  of  my  Majesty  and 

with  lordship  over  the  multitude  of  peoples  invested  me ; 
and 

Nabu,  the  overseer  of  the  multitude  of  heaven  and  earth, 

for  the  governing  of  the  peoples 
45  a  righteous  scepter 

placed  in  my  hands: 

for  me,  of  them  I  am  heedful, 

I  have  regard  unto  their  godhead; 

for  the  mention  of  their  glorious  name, 
50  I  worship  the  god  and  Ishtar. 

To  Marduk  my  lord  I  made  supplication, 

prayers  to  him  I  undertook,  and 

the  word  which  my  heart  looked  for, 

to  him  I  spake: 
55  "Of  old,  O  prince,  lord  of  all  that  is ! 

for  the  king  whom  thou  lovest,  and 

whose  name  thou  callest, 

that  to  thee  is  pleasing; 

thou  leadest  him  aright," 
60  a  straight  path  thou  appointest  him. 
3  Literally,  "  thou  directeet  his  name." 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  441 

I  am  a  prince  obedient  unto  thee, 

a  creature  of  thy  hands ; 

thou  it  was  that  madest  me,  and 

with  sovereignty  over  the  multitude  of  the  peoples 
65  didst  invest  me; 

according  to  thy  goodness,  O  lord, 

wherewith  thou  crownest 

all  of  them. 

Thy  lordship  supreme  do  thou  make  loving,^  and 
70  the  fear  of  thy  godhead 

cause  thou  to  be  in  my  heart ! 

Yea,  grant  that  to  thee  is  pleasing, 

COLUMN  II 

for  my  life  truly  thou  makest." 

Himself,  the  leader  glorious, 

the  open-eyed  of  the  gods,  the  prince  Marduk, 

my  supplications  heard  and 
5  received  my  prayers. 

Yea,  he  made  gracious  his  supreme  lordship, 

the  fear  of  his  godhead 

he  implanted  in  my  heart; 

to  draw  his  car  ^ 
10  he  made  me  submit  the  heart; 

I  worshiped  his  lordship. 

In  his  high  trust, 

to  far-ofF  lands, 

distant  hills, 
15  from  the  Upper  Sea 

to  the  Lower  Sea,® 

immense  journeys, 

blocked  ways, 

a  place  where  the  path  is  broken, 

*  "  Show  thyself  kind  or  gracious." 

5  Compare  the  words  of  Ashur-banipal :  "  Tlie  yoke,  the  wood  (i.e., 
implement)  of  drawing,  I  made  them  (the  conquered  kings)  put  on;  to 
the  temple  they  drew  beneath  me"   {i.e.,  drew  me  in  my  chariot). 

6  Lake  Van  and  the  Persian  Gulf. 


442  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

20  feet  are  not; 

a  road  of  hardships, 

a  journey  of  straits, 

I  pursued,  and 

the  unyielding  I  reduced, 
25  I  fettered  the  rebels. 

The  land  I  ordered  aright,  and 

the  people  I  made  to  thrive ; 

bad  and  good 

among  the  people  I  removed. 
30  Silver,  gold,  glitter  of  precious  stones, 

copper,  mismajcannorwood,  cedar 

what  thing  soever  is  precious, 

a  large  abundance; 

the  produce  of  mountains, 
35  the  fulness  of  seas, 

a  rich  present, 

a  splendid  gift, 

to  my  city  of  Babylon 

into  his  presence  I  brought. 
40  In  Esagilla, 

the  palace  of  his  lordship, 

I  wrought  repairs. 

Ekua,  the  cell 

of  the  lord  of  the  gods,  Marduk, 
45  I  made  to  glisten  like  suns 

the  walls  thereof ; 

with  large  gold, 

like  rubble  stone, 

with  uknu  and  alabaster, 
50  the  habitation  of  the  house  I  overlaid. 

The  gate  Khilisu,  even  the  Beautiful  Gate, 

and  the  gate  of  Ezida  and  Esagilla, 

I  had  them  made  brilliant  as  the  sun. 

The  bright  seat,  the  place  of  them  that  determine  destinies, 
55  which  is  the  Quarter  of  Assembly,  the  chapel  of  the  Fates, 

wherein,  at  Zagmuku,  the  opening  of  the  year, 

on  the  8th  day  and  the  11th  day. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  443 

the  divine  king,  the  god  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  lord  of 
heaven, 

taketh  up  his  abode ; 
60  the  gods  of  heaven  and  earth 

with  awe  submit  unto  him ; 

they  bow,  they  take  their  stand  before  him; 

a  destiny  of  enduring  days, 

as  the  destiny  of  my  life, 
65  they  predestine  in  the  midst  thereof  — 

COLUMN  III 

that  chapel,  a  chapel  of  majesty, 

the  chapel  of  the  lordship 

of  the  open-eyed  of  the  gods,  the  prince  Marduk, 

whose  fabric  a  former  king 
5  in  silver  had  fabricated, 

with  shining  gold,  a  splendid  decoration, 

I  overlaid  it. 

The  vessels  of  the  house  Esagilla 

with  large  gold  — 
10  the  Bark  of  Marduk  with  Zariru-stones  — • 

I  made  bright, 

as  the  stars  of  the  heavens. 

The  temples  of  Babylon 

I  made,  I  filled. 
15  Of  Etimmen-ana-ki " 

in  burnt  brick  and  fine  uhiu  stone, 

I  reared  its  summits. 

To  make  Esagilla 

my  heart  lifted  me  up  f 
20  in  chief  have  I  regarded  it. 

The  choicest  of  my  cedars, 

which  from  Lebanon, 

the  noble  forest,  I  brought, 

for  the  roofing  of  Ekua, 

7  Meaning,  in  Akkadian,  "  The  house  of  the  foundation-stone  of  heaven 
and  earth." 

8  This  phrase  is  found  in  Hebrew,  Exod.  xxxv.  21-26. 


444  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

25  the  cell  of  his  lordship, 

I  looked  out,  and  my  heart  vowed.® 

The  huge  cedar-heams 

for  the  roofing  of  Ekua 

with  shining  gold  I  overlaid. 
30  The  panels  under  the  cedar  of  the  roofing 

with  gold  and  precious  stones 

I  made  bright. 

Tor  the  making  of  Esagilla 

daily  I  besought 
35  the  king  of  the  gods,  the  lord  of  lords. 

Borsippa  the  city  of  his  abode 

I  beautified,  and 

Ezida,  the  Eternal  House, 

in  the  midst  thereof  I  made. 
40  With  silver,  gold,  precious  stones, 

copper,  mismaJcanna-wood,  cedar-wood, 

I  finished  the  work  of  it. 

The  cedar  of  the  roofing 

of  the  cells  of  Nabu 
45  with  gold  I  overlaid. 

The  cedar  of  the  roofing  of  the  gate  of  Nana, 

I  overlaid  with  shining  silver. 

The  bulls,  the  leaves  of  the  gate  of  the  cell, 

the  lintels,  the  bars,  the  bolt, 
50  the  door-sill,  Zariru-stone. 

The  cedar  of  the  roofing 

of  its  chambers 

with  silver  I  made  bright. 

The  path  to  the  cell 
55  and  the  way  to  the  house 

was  of  glazed  brickwork. 

The  seat  of  the  chapel  therein 

was  a  work  of  silver. 

The  bulls,  the  leaves  of  the  gates, 
60  with  plates  of  bronze, 

0  Literally,  "spake,"  "sware";  i.e.,  resolved  to  devote  them  to  this 
use. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  445 

brightly  I  made  to  glisten. 

The  house  I  made  gloriously  bright,  and, 

for  gazings  of  wonder, 

with  carved  work  I  had  it  filled. 
65  The  temples  of  Borsippa 

I  made,  I  filled. 

Of  the  House  of  the  Seven  Spheres  of  Heaven  and  Earth, 

in  burnt  bricks,  and  gleaming  uhiu  stone, 

I  reared  the  heads  thereof. 
70  The  Bark  of  the  river  of  Gan-ulu,^« 

the  car  of  his  princeliness 

COLUMN  IV 

the  Bark  of  the  Way  of  Zagmuku, 

the  festival  of  Babylon, 

its  sides 

and  the  pavilion  within  it, 
5  I  overlaid 

with  Tirisassu-storie. 

The  House  of  the  Drink-offering,  the  exalted  resting- 
place 

of  the  lord  of  the  gods,  Marduk, 

the  master  of  the  revels  and  rejoicings 
10  of  the  Igigi  and  the  Anunnaki,^^ 

on  the  ramparts  of  Babylon, 

with  bitumen  and  burnt  brick 

mountain-high  I  erected. 

the  great  house,  E-dimmer-niu-khar-shagga, 
15  in  the  heart  of  Babylon, 

for  the  Great  Goddess,  the  Mother  that  made  me, 

in  Babylon  I  built. 

Eor  Nabu,  the  exalted  Messenger, 

who  bestowed  a  righteous  scepter 
20  for  governing  all  habitable  places, 

E-shapa-kalama-simma,  his  house, 

in  Babylon, 

10  Apparently  this  means  "  perennial  abundance,"  or  "  flow." 

11  The  spirits  of  heaven  and  earth. 


446  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

with  bitumen  and  burnt  brick 

I  constructed  the  structure  thereof. 
25  For  Sin/-  that  brighteneth 

my  boundary  walls, 

E-gishshir-gal,  his  house, 

in  Babylon  I  made. 

For  Shamash,  the  Judge  Supreme, 
30  who  putteth  the  righteous  purpose  in  my  mind, 

E-sakud-kalama,  his  house, 

in  Babylon, 

with  bitumen  and  brick 

loftily  I  made. 
35  For  Rimmon,^^  who  causeth  abundance 

in  my  land,  E-nam-ghe,  his  house, 

in  Babylon,  I  built. 

For  Gula  that  spareth, 

that  fostereth  my  life, 
40  E-sa-bad,  E-kharsagella, 

her  houses  in  Babylon, 

with  bitumen  and  burnt  brick 

in  fair  wise  I  built. 

For  the  Dame  of  the  House  of  Heaven, 
45  the  lady  that  loveth  me, 

Ekikukus,  her  house, 

in  the  purlieus  of  the  wall  of  Babylon 

loftily  I  made. 

For  the  Son  of  the  House,  that  shattereth 
50  the  sword  of  mv  foes, 

his  house  in  Borsippa  I  made. 

For  Gula,  the  Lady 

that  maketh  whole  my  flesh, 

Egula,  Etilla,  Ezibatilla, 
55  her  three  temples, 

in  Borsippa  I  made. 

For  Rimmon,  that  raineth 

the  rain  of  plenty  in  my  land, 

12  The  Moon-god.     Sin  means  "bright." 
"The  Air-god. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  447 

his  house  in  Borsippa 
60  in  fair  wise  I  built. 

For  Sin,  that  lifteth  the  snare 

of  my  welfare, 

E-dim-anna,  his  house, 

at  the  side  of  the  precinct  of  Ezida 
65  splendidly  I  made. 

Imgur-bel 

and  Nimitti-bel, 

the  great  ramparts  of  Babylon 

which  Xabopolassar, 
70  I\ing  of  Babylon,  the  father  that  begot  me, 

had  made  and  not  finished 

the  work  of  them ; 

COLUMN  V 

whose  moat  he  had  dug,  and 

the  two  strong  walls 

with  bitumen  and  burnt  brick 

had  constructed  along  its  bank ; 
5  the  dikes  of  the  Arakhtu 

had  made,  and 

a  fence  of  burnt  brick 

on  the  other  side  of  Euphrates 

had  constructed  and 
10  had  not  finished 

the  rest; 

from  the  Bright  Seat, 

the  place  of  them  that  determine  destinies, 

the  shrine  of  the  Fates, 
15  unto  A-ibur-shabu, 

the  causeway  of  Babylon, 

before  the  Gate  of  Beltis, 

with  brick  and  tur-mina-handa  stone, 

along  the  way  of  the  great  lord  Marduk 
20  he  beautified  the  road. 

As  for  me,  his  eldest  son, 

the  beloved  of  his  heart. 


448  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Imgur-bel 

and  iSTimitti-bel, 
25  the  great  ramparts  of  Babylon, 

I  finished; 

beside  the  scarp  of  its  moat, 

the  two  strong  walls, 

with  bitumen  and  burnt  brick  I  built,  and 
30  with  the  wall  which  my  father  had  constructed, 

I  joined  them,  and 

the  city,  for  cover, 

I  carried  them  round. 

A  wall  of  burnt  brick, 
35  at  the  ford  of  the  setting  sun, 

the  rampart  of  Babylon 

I  threw  around. 

A-bur-shabu, 

the  causeway  of  Babylon, 
40  for  the  way  of  the  great  lord  Marduk, 

to  a  high  elevation 

I  raised,^^  and 

with  brick  and  dur-mina-handa  stone, 

and  stone,  the  work  ^^  of  mountains, 
45  A-ibur-shabu, 

from  the  Shining  Gate 

to  Ishtar  that  hurleth  down  them  that  assail  her, 

for  the  way  of  his  godhead 

I  made  fair,  and 
50  with  what  my  father  had  done 

I  connected  it,  and 

I  beautified 

the  road 

of  Ishtar,  that  hurleth  down 
55  them  that  assail  her 

Of  Imgur-bel 

and  Nimitti-bel 

the  portals,  on  both  sides, 

1*  Literally,  "  with  a  high  filling  I  filled  up." 
15  I.e.,  yield,  or  produce. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  449 

through  the  raising 
60  of  the  causeway  of  Babjlon 
had  become  low 
in  their  entries : 
those  portals 
I  pulled  down,  and 

COLUMN  VI 

over  against  the  water  their  foundation 

with  bitumen  and  burnt  brick 

I  firmly  laid,  and 

with  burnt  brick  and  gleaming  uhnu  stone, 
5  whereof  bulls  and  dreadful  serpents 

were  made,  the  interior  of  them  ^® 

cunningly  I  constructed. 

Strong  cedar-beams 

for  the  roofing  of  them 
10  I  laid  on. 

Doors  of  cedar 

with  plating  of  bronze, 

lintels  and  hinges, 

copper-work,  in  its  gates 
15  I  set  up. 

Strong  bulls  of  copper, 

and  dreadful  serpents,  standing  upright, 

on  their  thresholds  I  erected : 

those  portals, 
20  for  the  gazings  of  the  multitude  of  the  people, 

with  carven  work  I  caused  to  be  filled. 

As  an  outwork  for  Imgur-bel, 

the  wall  of  Babylon,  unapproachable, 

what  no  king  before  me  had  done ; 
25  at  four  thousand  cubits  off, 

on  the  flanks  of  Babylon 

from  afar  unapproachable, 

a  mighty  rampart,  at  the  ford  of  the  sunrising, 

16  Or  perhaps,  "the  interior  of  them,  which  was  made  with  (or  into) 
bulls  and  dreadful  serpents,  cunningly  I  constructed." 
VOL.  I. — 29. 


450  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

Babylon  I  threw  around. 
30  Its  moat  I  dug,  and  the  bank  of  it 

-with  bitumen  and  brick 

I  bound  together,  and 

the  mighty  rampart  on  the  marge  of  it 

mountain-high  I  built. 
35  Its  portals  broad 

I  constructed,  and 

the  doors  in  cedar,  with  plating  of  bronze, 

I  set  them  up. 

That  foes  might  not  present  the  face, 
40  the  bounds  of  Babylon  might  not  approach ; 

great  waters, 

like  the  volume  of  the  sea, 

the  land  I  carried  round,  and 

the  crossing  of  them 
45  was  like  the  crossing  of  the  great  sea, 

of  the  briny  flood. 

An  outburst  of  that  within  them 

not  to  suffer  to  befall, 

with  a  bank  of  earth 
50  I  embanked  them,  and 

walls  of  kiln-brick 

I  threw  around  them. 

The  ward  skilfully 

did  I  strengthen,  and 
55  the  city  of  Babylon 

I  made  a  fortress. 

Dhabi-suburshu, 

the  wall  of  Borsippa, 
anew  I  made. 
60  Its  moat  I  dug,  and 

with  bitumen  and  burnt  brick 
I  fenced  its  bank. 
Nebuchadrezzar, 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  451 

coLmm  VII 

King  of  Babylon, 

whom  Marduk,  the  great  lord, 

for  the  weal  of  his  city 

Babylon  did  call,  am  I. 
5  Esagilla  and  Ezida 

like  the  brilliance  of  the  sun  I  made  shine. 

The  temples  of  the  great  gods 

like  day  I  made  bright. 

Formerly,  from  the  days  of  yore 
10  to  the  reign 

of  Nabopalassar,  King  of  Babylon, 

the  father  that  begot  me, 

the  many  kings  my  predecessors, 

whose  name  the  god 
15  named  for  the  sovereignty; 

in  their  favorite  cities, 

in  a  place  they  determined  on, 

palaces  they  built  themselves, 

they  set  up  their  abode. 
20  Their  wealth  within 

they  heaped  up ; 

they  piled  their  substance. 

On  the  feast  of  Zagmuku, 

the  merr^onaking  of  the  lord  of  the  gods,  Marduk, 
25  they  entered  Babylon. 

From  the  time  that  Marduk  created  me, 

for  sovereignty ; 

from  the  time  that  !N"abu  his  true  son 

committed  his  subjects  to  me ; 
30  like  dear  life 

love  I  the  building  of  their  lodging-place : 

Besides  Babylon  and  Borsippa, 

I  did  not  beautify  a  city. 

In  Babylon, 
35  my  favorite  city,  which  I  love, 

the  palace,  the  house  of  the  gazings  of  the  people. 


452  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

the  bond  of  the  country, 

the  splendid  mansion, 

the  abode  of  royalty, 
40  in  the  land  of  Babylon, 

that  is  in  the  midst  of  Babylonia, 

from  Imgur-bel 

to  Libil-khegalla, 

the  canal  of  the  sunrising, 
45  from  the  bank  of  the  Euphrates 

to  A-ibur-shabu ; 

which  ISTabopalassar 

King  of  Babylon,  the  father  who  begot  me, 

with  sun-dried  brick  had  erected,  and 
50  dwelt  therein ; 

by  the  waters  of  a  flood 

its  foundation  was  weakened,  and 

through  the  raising 

of  the  causeway  of  Babylon, 
55  of  that  palace 

low  had  become  the  gates  of  it : 

its  walls  of  ^"^  sun-dried  brick 

I  pulled  down,  and 

its  record  I  uncovered,  and 
60  the  bottom  of  the  water  I  reached ; 

over  against  the  water  its  foundation 

I  firmly  laid,  and 

with  bitumen  and  burnt  brick 

COLUMN  VIII 

I  reared  it  high 
as  the  wooded  hills. 
Stout  cedars  for  the  roofing  of  it 
I  laid  on. 
5  Doors  of  cedar 

with  a  plating  of  bronze, 

sills  and  hinges 

of  copper-work,  in  its  gates 

n  Literally,  "  a  substance  of." 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  453 

I  set  up. 
10  Silver,  gold,  precious  stones, 
everything  that  is  prized, 
is  magnificent ; 
substance,  wealth, 
the  ornaments  of  majesty, 
15  I  heaped  up  within  it ; 
strength,  splendor, 

royal  treasure,  ' 

I  hoarded  within  it. 
Because  the  establishment  of  my  royalty 
20  in  another  city 

my  heart  loveth  not ; 
in  no  dwelling-places 
built  I  an  abode  of  lordship : 
riches  and  the  ornaments  of  royalty, 
25  I  place  not 

among  the  lands. 
In  Babylon, 
a  stead  for  my  abode, 
for  the  insignia  of  my  royalty, 
30  was  not  to  be  found. 

For  that  the  fear  of  Marduk  my  lord 
was  in  my  heart, 
in  Babylon, 
his  fenced  city, 
35  to  make  large 

the  seat  of  my  royalty, 
his  street  I  altered  not, 
his  chapel  I  demolished  not, 
his  canals  I  filled  not  up ; 
40  a  stead  far  and  wide 
I  looked  for. 
For  an  outwork 
To  Imgur-bel, 

the  wall  of  Babylon,  unapproachable, 
45  at  490  cubits  off, 

on  the  flanks  of  Nimitti-bel, 


454<  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

The  outer  wall  of  Babylon, 

for  cover 

of  the  two  strong  walls, 
50  with  bitumen  and  burnt  brick 

a  rampart  mountain-like  I  made.     And 

betwixt  them 

a  structure  of  burnt  brick  I  constructed,  and 

on  the  top  of  it  a  great  stead, 
55  for  the  seat  of  my  royalty, 

with  bitumen  and  burnt  brick 

loftily  I  made,  and 

with  my  father's  palace  I  joined  it,  and 

in  a  salutary  month,  on  a  lucky  day, 
60  the  foundation  of  it  in  the  bosom  of  broad  Earth 

I  firmly  laid,  and 

the  top  of  it  I  reared 

high  as  the  wooded  hills. 

On  the  15th  day,  the  work  of  it 

COLUMN  IX 

I  finished,  and 

made  splendid  the  seat  of  lordship. 

Strong  male  cedars, 

the  growth  of  high  mountains, 
5  huge  female  cedars, 

and  cypresses, 

costly  stones  glittering, 

for  the  roofing  of  it  I  laid  on. 

Doors  of  mismakanna, 
10  cedar,  cypress, 

usliu  and  ivory, 

the  frame  of  silver  and  gold, 

and  the  plating  bronze ; 

the  thresholds  and  hinges 
15  copper- work 

in  the  gates  of  it  I  set  up,  and 

with  a  cornice  of  uJcnu  its  tops 

I  surrounded. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  455 

A  strong  wall 
20  in  bitumen  and  burnt  brick 

mountain-like  I  threw  around  it. 

On  the  flanks  of  the  wall  of  brick, 

a  great  wall 

with  huge  stones, 
25  the  yield  of  great  mountains, 

I  made,  and 

like  mountains 

I  raised  its  heads. 

That  house  for  gazings 
80  I  caused  to  be  made,  and, 

for  the  beholding  of  the  multitude  of  the  people, 

with  sculptures  I  had  it  filled. 

The  awe  of  power,  the  dread 

of  the  splendor  of  sovereignty, 
35  its  sides  begird,  and 

the  bad  unrighteous  man 

Cometh  not  within  it. 

That  no  foe  might  appear, 

on  the  sides  of  the  wall  of  Babylon 
40  a  bulwark  against  him  ^^ 

I  built  afar,  and 

the  city  of  Babylon 

I  made  strong 

as  the  wooded  hills. 
45  To  Marduk,  my  lord, 

I  made  supplication,  and  lifted  up  my  hands: 

"  Marduk,  lord,  open-eyed  of  the  gods, 

glorious  prince ! 

Thou  it  was  that  createdst  me,  and 
50  with  the  sovereignty  of  a  multitude  of  peoples 

didst  invest  me. 

Like  dear  life 

I  love  the  exaltation  of  thy  lodging-place : 

besides  thy  city  of  Babylon 

18  Literally,  "  the  bulwark  of  his  battle  I  carried  to  a  distance  "  (from 
the  inner  wall). 


456  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

55  In  no  place 

have  I  adorned  a  city.^® 

Like  as  I  love 

the  fear  of  thy  godhead, 

and  seek  unto  thy  lordship ; 
60  favorably  regard  the  lifting  up  of  my  hands, 

hear  my  prayers ! 

I  verily  am  the  maintaining  king, 

that  maketh  glad  thine  heart ; 

the  careful  servant, 
65  that  maintaineth  all  thy  town. 

COLUMN  X 

At  thy  behest, 

O  merciful  Marduk, 

may  the  house  I  have  made 

therewith  ^^  endure !  and 
5  with  the  fulness  of  it  may  I  be  satisfied,  and 

within  it 

hoar  age  may  I  reach ! 

May  I  be  satisfied  with  offspring ! 

Of  the  kings  of  the  world, 
10  of  all  men, 

their  heavy  tribute 

may  I  receive  within  it! 

From  nadir  to  zenith, 

and  where  the  sun  riseth, 
15  may  I  have  no  enemies, 

f  oemen  may  I  possess  not ! 

My  posterity  within  it 

for  evermore 

over  the  Blackheads  may  they  rule !  " 

19  Borsippa  was  no  exception,  being  part  of  Babylon. 

20  I.e.,  with  Marduk's  town,  Babylon  itself. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  457 


CONTRACT-TABLETS  RELATING  TO 
BELSHAZZAR  ^ 


A  house  belonging  to  Nebo-akhi-iddin,  the  son  of  Sula,  the 
son  of  Egibi,  which  adjoins  the  house  of  Bel-nadin,  the  son 
of  Rimut,  the  son  of  the  soldier  has  been  handed  over  by 
ISTebo-akhi-iddin  for  3  years  to  Nebo-yukin-akhi  the  secretary 
of  Belshazzar,  the  son  of  the  King,  for  11/2  manehs  of  silver 
sub-letting  of  the  house  being  forbidden,  as  well  as  interest  on 
the  money.  Nebo-yukin-akhi  undertakes  to  plant  trees  and 
repair  the  house.^  At  the  expiration  of  the  3  years  Nebo- 
akhi-iddin  shall  repay  the  money,  namely  IV2  manehs,  to 
Nebo-yukin-akhi,  and  ISTebo-^nikin-akhi  shall  quit  the  house  in 
the  presence  of  IsTebo-akhi-iddin.  The  witnesses  are  Kabtiya, 
the  son  of  Tabnea,  the  son  of  Egibi ;  Tabik-zira,  the  son  of 
Nergal-yusallim,  the  son  of  Sin-karabi-isime ;  Nebo-zira-ibni, 
the  son  of  Ardia;  and  the  priest  Bel-akhi-basa,  the  son  of 
Nebo-baladhsu-iqbi.  Dated  Babylon,  the  21st  day  of  jSTisan, 
the  5th  year  of  Nabonidos,  King  of  Babylon.^ 

1  These  three  contracts  are  interesting  on  account  of  their  references 
to  Belshazzar,  the  eldest  son  of  Nabonidos,  whose  name  is  written  in 
Babylonian  Bilu-sarra-utsur,  "O  Bel,  defend  the  king."  It  is  es- 
pecially curious  to  learn  from  one  of  them  that  the  heir-apparent  to 
the  throne  had  to  conform  to  the  same  legal  obligations  as  the  meanest 
of  his  subjects.  Security  was  exacted  by  him  for  the  pajTnent  of  a 
debt,  a  portion  of  the  security  being  a  house  inhabited  by  a  Persian. 
As  Persian  slaves  are  mentioned  in  other  deeds  of  the  period  it  is  pos- 
sible that  the  Persian  in  question  was  a  slave.  At  all  events  the  notice 
of  him  proves  that  there  were  Persians  living  in  Babylon  before  the  con- 
quest of  the  country  by  Cyrus.  The  third  document,  it  will  be  ob- 
served, is  dated  five  years  before  the  overthrow  of  Nabonidos  and  tha 
entrance  of  Cyrus  into  Babylon. 

2  That  is  to  say,  to  keep  the  garden  and  house  in  order. 

3551    B.C. 


458  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


II 

The  sum  of  20  manehs  of  silver  for  wool,  the  property  of 
Belshazzar,  the  son  of  the  King,  which  has  been  handed  over 
to  Iddin-Marduk,  the  son  of  Basa,  the  son  of  Nur-Sin,  through 
the  agency  of  Nebo-tsabit,  the  steward  of  the  house  of  Bel- 
shazzar, the  son  of  the  King,  and  the  secretaries  of  the  son  of 
the  King.  In  the  month  Adar,  of  the  11th  year  of  Naboni- 
dos,  he  gives  the  money,  namely,  20  manehs.  The  house  of 
.  .  .  the  Persian  and  all  his  property  in  town  and  country 
shall  be  the  security  of  Belshazzar,  the  son  of  the  King,  until 
he  shall  pay  in  full  the  money  aforesaid.  The  money  which 
he  shall  meanwhile  make  upon  the  property,*  he  shall  pay  as 
interest.  Witnessed  by  Bel-iddin,  the  son  of  Kimut,  the  son 
of  the  soldier;  Etilpi,  the  son  of  .  .  .  the  son  of  the  father 
of  the  house ;  Nadin,  the  son  of  Marduk-sum-utsur,  the  son  of 
the  superintendent  of  the  works ;  Nergal-yusallim,  the  son  of 
Marduk-edir,  the  son  of  Gasura;  Marduk-natsir,  the  son  of 
Samas-  .  .  .,  the  son  of  Dabibi ;  and  the  priest  Bel-akhi-iddin, 
the  son  of  Nebo-baladhsu-iqbi.  Dated  Babylon,  the  20th  day 
of  the  month  .  .  .,  the  11th  year  of  Nabonidos,  King  of 
Babylon.^ 

Ill 

One  maneh  16  shekels  of  silver  capital  and  interest,  the 
property  of  Nebo-tsabit-ida,  the  steward  of  the  house  of  Bel- 
shazzar, the  son  of  the  King,  which  he  owes  to  Beliddina,  the 
son  of  Bel-sum-iskun,  the  son  of  Sin-tabni,  and  the  seed  grown 
in  sight  of  the  chief  gates  of  Babylon  which  has  been  taken 
as  security  for  it.  The  money,  namely  1  maneh  16  shekels, 
Nebo-tsabit-ida,  by  the  agency  of  Itti-Marduk-baladhu,  the 
son  of  Nebo-akhi-iddin,  the  son  of  Egibi,  has  presented  to 
Bel-iddina.  The  witnesses  are  Nebo-iddina,  the  son  of 
Rimutu,  the  son  of  Kiki ;  Bel-iddina,  the  son  of  Bel-sum- 
iskun,  the  son  of  Sin-tabni;  Nebo-zira-esir,  the  son  of  Ina- 

*  Literally,  "  the  money  as  much  as  upon  the  property  he  shall  fill 
up." 

5  545  B.C. 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  459 

essu-edir,  the  son  of  the  Umuk  f  Nadinu,  the  son  of  MardiiJ<- 
iddin-akhi ;  IsTergal-yusallim,  the  priest,  the  son  of  Marduk- 
edir,  the  son  of  Gasura.  Dated  at  Babylon  the  27th  day  of 
the  second  Adar/  the  12th  year  of  Nabonidos,  King  of 
Babylon.^ 

6  An  officer  who  seems  to  have  had  something  to  do  with  the  begin- 
ning of  the  year. 

7  The  intercalary  month  Ve-Adar. 

8  544  B.o. 


460  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 


THE  CONQUEST  BY  THE  PEESIANS  ^ 

(INSCRIPTION  OF  KING  CYRUS) 

.  .  .  begat  him  .  .  .  the  four  regions  of  the  world  .  .  . 
great  coward  was  established  as  ruler  over  the  land  .  .  .  and 
a  similar  one  he  set  over  them ;  like  Esagila  he  made  ...  to 
Ur  and  the  rest  of  the  cities  a  rule  not  suitable  for  them  .  .  . 
he  planned  daily  and  in  enmity  he  caused  the  established  sac- 
rifice to  cease.     He  appointed  ...  he  established  within  the 
city.     The  worship  of  Marduk,  king  of  the  gods  ...  he 
wrought  hostility  against  his  city  daily  ...  his  people  all  of 
them  he  destroyed  through  servitude,  without  rest.     On  ac- 
count of  their  lamentations  the  lord  of  the  gods  was  exceed- 
ingly angry  and  left  their  territory ;  the  gods  who  dwelt  among 
them  left  their  dwellings.     In  anger  because  he  brought  them 
into  Babylon,  Marduk  ...  to  return  to  all  the  dwellings, 
their  habitations,  which  were  overthrown.     The  people  of 
Sumer  and  Akkad,  who  were  like  corpses,  he  brought  back 
and  .  .  .  granted  them  a  return.    Through  all  lands  he  made 
his  way,  he  looked,  he  sought  a  righteous  prince,  a  being  whom 
he  loved,  whom  he  took  by  the  hand.     Cyrus,  King  of  An- 
shan,  he  called  by  name  and  desig-nated  him  to  rule  over  all 
the  lands.    The  land  of  Qutu,  all  the  Scythian  hordes,  he  made 
to  submit  to  his  feet.     The  black-headed  people  (i.e.,  the  Bab- 
ylonians), whom  he  caused  his  hand  to  capture,  in  faithful- 
ness and  righteousness  he  sought.     Marduk,  the  great  lord, 
looked  joyfully  upon  the  return  of  his  people,  his  kindly  deeds 
and  upright  heart.    To  his  city,  Babylon,  he  commanded  him 
to  go ;  he  caused  him  to  take  the  road  to  Babylon,  going  as  a 
friend  and  companion  at  his  side.     His  numerous  army,  the 
number  of  which  was,  like  the  waters  of  a  river,  unknown, 
marched  at  his  side  girded  with  their  weapons.     He  caused 

1  Reprinted,   by    permission   of   the    American    Sunday-School   Union, 
frum  "Archaeology  and  the  Bible,"  by  Prof.  G.  A.  Barton, 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  EAST  461 

him  to  enter  Babylon  without  war  or  battle.  He  preserved 
his  city,  Babylon,  from  tribulation;  he  filled  his  (Cyrus's) 
hand  with  Xabuna'id,  the  King,  who  did  not  fear  him.  All 
the  people  of  Babylon,  all  of  Sumer  and  Akkad,  the  princes 
and  governor,  prostrated  themselves  under  him  and  kissed  his 
feet.  They  rejoiced  in  his  sovereignty;  their  faces  shone. 
The  lord,  who  by  his  power  makes  the  dead  to  live,  who  from 
destruction  and  injustice  had  saved  them,  altogether  they 
blessed  him  in  joy  ;  they  revered  his  name. 

I  am  Cyrus,  King  of  the  world,  the  great  King,  the  mighty 
King,  King  of  Babylon,  King  of  Sumer  and  Akkad,  King  of 
the  four  quarters  of  the  world,  son  of  Cambyses,  the  great 
King,  King  of  Anshan,  grandson  of  Cyrus,  the  great  King, 
King  of  Anshan,  great-grandson  of  Teispes,  the  great  King, 
King  of  Anshan ;  an  everlasting  seed  of  royalty,  whose  gov- 
ernment Bel  and  Xabu  love,  whose  reign  in  the  goodness  of 
their  hearts  they  desire.  When  I  entered  in  peace  into  Baby- 
lon, with  joy  and  rejoicing  I  took  up  my  lordly  dwelling  in  the 
royal  palace,  Marduk,  the  great  lord,  moved  the  understand- 
ing heart  of  the  people  of  Babylon  to  me,  while  I  daily  sought 
his  worship.  My  numerous  troops  dwelt  peacefully  in  Baby- 
lon ;  in  all  Sumer  and  Akkad  no  terrorizer  did  I  permit.  In 
Babylon  and  all  its  cities  in  peace  I  looked  about.  The  people 
of  Babylon  I  released  from  an  unsuitable  yoke.  Tlieir  dwell- 
ings —  their  decay  I  repaired ;  their  ruins  I  cleared  away. 
Marduk,  the  great  lord,  rejoiced  at  these  deeds  and  graciously 
blessed  me,  Cyrus,  the  King  who  worships  him,  and  Cam- 
byses, my  son,  and  all  my  troops,  while  we  in  peace  joyfully 
praised  before  him  his  exalted  divinity. 

All  the  kings  who  dwell  in  palaces,  from  all  quarters  of  the 
world,  from  the  upper  sea  to  the  lower  sea,  who  live  in  palaces, 
all  the  kings  of  the  Westland  who  live  in  tents,  brought  me 
their  heavy  tribute  in  Babylon  and  kissed  my  feet.  From 
...  to  Ashur  and  Susa,  Agade,  Eshnunak,  Zamban,  Meturnu, 
Deri,  to  the  border  of  Gutium,  the  cities  beyond  the  Tigris, 
whose  sites  had  been  founded  of  old  —  the  gods  who  dwelt  in 
them  I  returned  to  their  places,  and  caused  them  to  settle  in 
their  eternal    shrines.     AH   their   people   I    assembled   and 


462  THE  SACRED  BOOKS 

returned  tliem  to  their  dwellings.  And  the  gods  of  Sumer 
and  Akkad,  whom  Nabuna'id,  to  the  anger  of  the  lord  of  the 
gods,  had  brought  into  Babylon,  at  the  command  of  Marduk, 
the  great  lord,  I  caused  in  peace  to  dwell  in  their  abodes,  the 
dwellings  in  which  their  hearts  delighted.  May  all  the  gods, 
whom  I  have  returned  to  their  cities,  pray  before  Marduk  and 
Nabu  for  the  prolonging  of  my  days,  may  they  speak  a  kind 
word  for  me  and  say  to  Marduk,  lord  of  the  gods,  "  May 
Cyrus  the  King,  who  fears  thee,  and  Cambyses,  his  son,  their 
.  .  .  caused  all  to  dwell  in  peace  .  .  ." 


THE   END 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

For  the  entire  field  of  the  history  and  civiUzation  of  the 
ancient  Orient,  the  reader  is  referred  to  Su:  Gaston  Maspero's 
three  elaborate  volumes: 

"The  Dawn  of  Civilization"  (New  York,  1894). 
"The  Struggle  of  the  Nations"  (New  York,  1897). 
"The  Passmg  of  the  Empires"  (New  York,  1900). 

These  are  a  little  out  of  date,  especially  for  the  earliest 
period,  but  are  still  extremely  valuable. 

For  the  early  and  later  history  of  Babylonia,  the  two  most 
recent  works  are: 

(1)  L.  W.  King,  "History  of  Sumer  and  Akkad"  (London,  1910). ;; 
L.  W.  King,  "History  of  Babylonia"  (London,  1915). 

(To  be  followed  by  a  third  volume,  a  "History  of  Assyria.") 

(2)  R.  W.  Rogers,  "History  of  Babylonia  and  Assyria"  (6th  ed., 

New  York,  1915). 

A  general  view  of  the  entire  civilization  of  Babylonia  and 
Assyria,  with  chapters  on  the  excavation,  the  decipherment, 
the  religion,  commerce,  law,  art  and  literature,  is  given  in 
"The  CiviUzation  of  Babylonia  and  Assyria,"  by  Morris 
Jastrow,  Jr.  (Philadelphia,  1915). 

For  the  texts  themselves  we  have  (in  English  translation) : 

R.  W.  Rogers,  "Cuneiform  Parallels  to  the  Old  Testament"  (New 
York,  1912). 

G.  A.  Barton,  "Archaeology  and  the  Bible"  (Philadelphia,  1916). 

L.  W.  King,  "The  Seven  Tablets  of  Creation"  (London,  1902,  two 
volumes) . 

L.  W.  King,  "Chronicles  Concerning  Old  Babylonian  Kings"  (Lon- 
don, 1907,  two  volumes). 

L.  W.  King,  "The  Letters  and  Inscriptions  of  Hammurapi"  (Lon- 
don, 1900,  three  volumes). 

R.  F.  Harper,  "Assyrian  and  Babylonian  Literature"  (New  York, 

1901). 

463 


464  BIBLIOGRAPHY 

L.  W.  King,  "Babylonian  Magic  and  Sorcery"  (London,  1896). 
R.  C.  Thompson,   "The  Devils  and  Evil  Spirits  of  Babylonia" 

(London,  1903,  two  volumes). 
R.  C  Thompson,  "The  Reports  of  the  Magicians  and  Astrologers 

of  Nineveh  and  Babylon"  (London,  1900,  two  volumes). 
C.  H.  W.  Johns,  "  Babylonian  and  Assyrian  Laws,  Contracts  and 

Letters"  (New  York,  1904). 

For  the  many  religious  problems  involved,  with  copious 
translations  of  hymns,  prayers,  incantations,  omens  and  myths, 
the  reader  is  recommended  to  the  three  works  by  Professor 
Morris  Jastrow,  Jr. 

"ReHgion  of  Babylonia  and  Assyria"  (Boston,  1898). 

"Aspects  of  Religious  Belief  and  Practice  in  Babylonia  and  Assyria" 

(New  York,  1910). 
"Hebrew  and  Babylonian  Traditions"  (New  York,  1914). 


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